Mum's warning to husband about baby's seatbelt moments before car crash

A mother “nagging” her husband over her baby’s car seatbelt has potentially prevented devastating injury to the little boy after they were involved in a crash that left the vehicle totalled.

Rebecca Tafaro Boyer, from Memphis, US, took to Facebook earlier this month to warn parents over the dangers of fitting babies’ seatbelts in cars after her own very close call.

Her husband and their baby son, William, were driving home from the pharmacy when they were involved in a crash as another driver tried to make a quick left turn.

William’s father had been driving at 80km/h.

Ms Tafaro Boyer warned her husband via text that their son’s car straps weren’t tight enough. Source: Facebook/ Rebecca Tafaro Boyer
Ms Tafaro Boyer warned her husband via text that their son’s car straps weren’t tight enough. Source: Facebook/ Rebecca Tafaro Boyer

Just moments earlier, Ms Tafaro Boyer had messaged her husband warning him the harness on William was too loose after he’d sent her an image of him sleeping in the back seat during their day out.

“My nagging wife reply was to correct William’s position in the car seat – the straps were too loose and the chest clip was way too low,” she recalled online.

“And because I know my husband, I’m sure that he laughed at me and rolled his eyes before tightening the car seat and fixing the chest clip.”

The car was totalled in the crash however baby William failed to wake after his harness was readjusted. Source: Facebook/ Rebecca Tafaro Boyer
The car was totalled in the crash however baby William failed to wake after his harness was readjusted. Source: Facebook/ Rebecca Tafaro Boyer
Ms Tafaro Boyer says she has now justified being a nagging wife to her husband. Source: Facebook/ Rebecca Tafaro Boyer
Ms Tafaro Boyer says she has now justified being a nagging wife to her husband. Source: Facebook/ Rebecca Tafaro Boyer

Little did they know at the time, her persistence was to be justified just minutes later.

While their car was a write off and her husband suffered several injuries to his feet in the crash, William was so tightly restrained he failed to even wake from his afternoon nap.

“I am so thankful that my husband took the extra one minute that was necessary to put William in his car seat safely. I can’t even begin to imagine how different the outcome could have been,” she said.

“I truly believe that the reason my family is at home sitting on the couch with a pair of crutches instead of down at the hospital is because of my annoying nagging mom voice.”

While her husband suffered injuries to his feet, baby William was unharmed. Source: Facebook/ Rebecca Tafaro Boyer
While her husband suffered injuries to his feet, baby William was unharmed. Source: Facebook/ Rebecca Tafaro Boyer

She warned other young families all children under the age of two must be in the seat rear facing with a tightly fitted five point harness.

She also advised parents of the little-known fact that car seats must be replaced if involved in a crash regardless of its apparent state.

While replacing it might seem expensive, she revealed most insurance policies will cover the replacement cost.

“The car is a loss, but cars can be replaced – my boys can’t,” she said.