Honest Question

stacynikki

https://www.keyetv.com/mostpopular/story/Austin-child-criticially-hurt-in-suspected/O8Jq3hXQLUOTPN6BVJkYTw.cspx

I was reading this article and was surprised at how badly the child was injured.  So, my question is, a child can be this badly injured in a rear crash while in a carseat?  That is a very scary thought. 

stacynikki

And another question is, do you think the child was in a proper car seat? 

MarchMom06

I am also shocked that he was injured so badly while in a car seat, but I don't know much about this. I'm no expert on car seat safety.

justus4

Did you see the car? That wasn't just a run of the mill rear ender. Yes, they get that hurt. I think its far scarier to think about the people who don't put their kids in seats at all. If he hadn't been in a carseat he would have been killed.

j-w

It's interesting that the article doesn't mention anything about how the child was restrained.  Usually you see them make a point of it.

Halo79RN

well, it the dad asks how he could miss "a car sitting on the freeway"... so if their car was stopped, I'm assuming... and the other car was going at a freeway speed... let's say 55... although I'm betting faster. Yeah, possible.  His head probably flew forward on impact and then back, slamming into the seat. He's 3y/o... front facing, I'm sure.  It's not like those carseats are just clouds of cushioning.  There's still impact.  He could have flown out of the car instead had he not been buckled into a carseat.

katie277s

It sounds like the 18yo who hit them didn't brake at all. Hitting a vehicle that isn't moving can greatly affect the force of impact.  The child very well could have been securly in his car seat and the force of the moving vehicle hitting the still vehicle was obviously enough to cause that kind of damage. 

I am never concerned with myself or my DH's driving.  It is always the other drivers around me that I am concerned about.  Some people do stupid things.  That poor little boy. 

august06mom

Of course you can get that injured in a car seat -- did you see the car? It looked horrid. Car seats are wonderful but they aren't complete protectors. Car wrecks are a curious thing when it comes to the chances that one person can be killed while another walks away, depending on the point of impact.

kjlrs

agree, like pp said, the article mentioned the car being stopped on the freeway. so they were not moving at all and got hit at anywhere from 55-75 probably if the driver didn't brake.

 

obviously the other driver should have been aware but who knows if he was really texting and if the person in front of him switched lanes late, that would drastically reduce the time he had to react. it sounds like it was just a tragic accident and i feel so so so badly for the poor little boy. i found myself wondering why the hell the parents would have stopped on the freeway (probably in the left lane if you look at the pic). usually you could at least roll off... i would be nervous on the shoulder let alone in the freaking road!