Babies who ride in cars belong in car seats. Period. Always. No exceptions. If you need proof, I've got quite a story to tell you. On March 13, 21-year-old Lindsey Michelle Woods was driving a Jeep Cherokee at about 70 miles an hour on the highway in San Diego, California when she came upon a slower moving vehicle. She hit her brakes to avoid hitting the other vehicle, lost control of the Jeep, which plunged 150 feet down an embankment. Woods was not alone in that car. She had two passengers with her, a 26-year-old man and her 18-month-old baby, Riley. All you have to do is look at images of the mangled vehicle to know that this was a very severe accident and that everyone's life was put in danger and yet somehow Riley came out of it with only scratches on his head. How is that possible especially when his mother was not so lucky?
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Lindsey Michelle Woods died on the scene, the male adult passenger in the vehicle was rushed to the hospital with life threatening injuries, Riley was also taken to the hospital and he was fine. Riley was fine because his mother had secured him in his car seat, which was installed in the middle of the back seat. I have no doubt that the only reason that child survived such a gruesome crash with just a few scratches is because his mother did right by him and put him in a baby car seat.
Accidents happen. I'm sure that Woods wasn't driving too fast in an attempt to harm anyone in the vehicle, but for whatever reason, she was driving too fast and lost control of her vehicle. I am so sorry that she lost her life, but I am very proud of her for having taken care of her child's safety.
If you have a baby, please, please remember to always buckle that child up in their car seat. Never ever take their safety for granted. None of this, we're just going down the street it will be fine sort of attitude. It's never fine.
Riley is now in the care of relatives. I'm so sorry that child will grow up without his mother, but I hope he somehow grows up feeling that his mother cared about his safety and loved him so very much.
- Images via NBC 7 San Diego*
