The Importance of a 5 Point Harness Car Seat – Belle’s Gift
Our three year old daughter was killed in a car accident on 13 April 2006. A truck crossed over the centre lines and our vehicle hit a tree when trying to avoid a collision with the truck. Our seven year old walked away from the crash, but Isabelle was fatally injured by the adult seatbelt used with her booster seat. There were no warnings about the dangers involved in using adult belts with toddlers. The law in Australia allows children as young as 12 months to use only an adult belt. This …
Your story touched my heart and I was one of those parents who put my 2 oldest in booster seats after seeing this and a couple others I went out and bought 3 graco nautilus carseats for my 6, 5, and 3 yr old. My youngest was 35lbs and couldnt be rear facing any longer. Ive been spreading the word about keeping little ones rearfacing as long as possible and keeping them in 5 pt harnesses as long as possible also!! Thank you so much and Im so sorry for your loss. God bless!
watching your video undoubtedly saved my son, Archers life in a high impact car collision we were recently involved in. after watching this, i switched to seat with a five point harness, having previously used a seat that utilized a shoulder belt. i am so sorry for your loss, and so grateful to you for bringing this subject to light. everyone with children would benefit from learning about Belle. rest in peace little one, even in death you continue to make a positive difference!
T I was going to get a highback booster but noticed that they are making some harness for up to 65 pounds, The price is so much more for the 5 points that go to 65 pounds I was trying to decide if it was really needed, ur story which was sooo sad and touching it made up my mind, thank you so much. We just purchased a 5 point that goes to 65 pounds call the nautilus 3in1. Thanks you again for sharing ur story, your family is saving many lives!!!
thank you for pointing this to me, I have ason of 3years old and we already made hem sit on a booster…I have just changed it before writing this. You probably save his life…thank you! Isabelle rest in peace.
I’m only twelve, so I don’t know much on that subject, but you and Belle touched my heart forever. I wish I could do something to promote this video, so heartbreaking. I’m so sorry for your loss, and I hope you know she is watching from heaven. My daddy died when I was seven, and my uncle on christmas eve, and my nana, and my also 12 year old friend. I’m not a mother, but I know how you feel. Thank you for your life, Belle’s life, and this vid. God bless you and your beautiful daughter and wife.
So heartbreaking. Thank you for your gift sweet little Belle. I pass this video on to everyone I know who prematurely put their child in a booster seat. You are saving lives little angel!
I am so sorry for ur loss. I wish I would have known about the britax car seats a year ago, when I bought my daughter a car seat, but its not a 5point its just uses a strap belt. Ur story is saving lives….
I’m So Sorry to hear about your loss…
Heartbreaking…absolutely heartbreaking. Thank you for your gift Belle…you have probably saved many with this video.
Thank you so much for this video. It convinced my hubs to spring for a top-of-the-line carseat for our baby–as I’m sure it has done to many other people. Your sweet babygirl’s death was not in vain and may have saved many other kids’ lives.
I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you for bringing this to public attention-I’ll spread the word!
Our legislation mandates the use of a booster at 40 pounds and up until the child reaches age 9, weigh 18 to 37 kg (40 to 81 lbs) and are less than 145 cm (4-foot-9-inches) tall. However, I use a booster that uses the adult belt for my 7-year-old daughter. Is this safe? It seems to me that if tragedies like this one can occur, maybe we need to rethink the designs of some of these ‘safety’ seats?
I am a firefighter and we install car seats at our station and I want to encourage anyone that uses a car seat to PLEASE get the right size seat for your child. This movie is a sobering reminder of what can happen when the wrong child seat is used for a child. I am deeply sorry for your loss, but applaud you for making something good come from a most horrific situation. You will be in my prayers and the prayers of my family.
I’m so sorry by your loss. Thank you very much for using your pain to alert other parents. You’re helping save other toddlers. My baby is in a 5 poits but as long as he grow up a little more I wold put him in a booster. Never knew this danger. Isabelle is an angel and she is helping other kids aroud the world.
God bless you.
Thank you.
I was just about to sell our Britax 5 point harness because it seemed so cumbersome for my 4 year old. I was looking online to see maybe how i could just use the shoulder strap,and found this. You and Isabelle saved a possible life. I also read a few moments ago that two children were hit by a semi in their minivan but they were in 5 point Britax harness and walked away unscathed. I am sorry for your loss and commend you for your bravery to make this video. *hugs* and thank you ever so.
I’m so sorry for your loss!
Your video is educational though. I hope somebody will learn from it. I did!
brother, that totally sucks and i send my condolences, as a father i thank you for your efforts to save others from making fatal mistakes
Thank you Bella for your gift
i am in tears i am so sorry for your loss but i am 10000000000000 percent sure she is in heaven and waiting for the rest of her loving and adoring family to come and join her in the glory of the Lord God Bless You
Thank you for sharing this important information. Thank you, Belle
i remeber when i was 8 and i was in an accident with me riding in the front seat, but other than that i am so sorry for what happened to her, i am in tears, god is protecting her in heaven.
its not just the age. people need to recognize the size of their children too. an undersized child should still be in even a booster alot longer as well. as well as an oversize child may be injured from the smaller seating not actually fitting them properly.
Thank you for going through the pain making this video must have caused to save the lives of other children, it’s such a selfless and beautiful act. I am so sorry for the loss of your beautiful daughter.
Thanks a lot.Allah (God) bless u and save you and your children.Peace.