Wellness Wednesday is sponsored by Intermountain Health.
When I was about to become a father I called the Salt Lake City Fire Department and asked them to walk me through installing our car seat. I was scared to be responsible for this new life.
I’m glad I did it, and I’m also glad we never had a crash to test my work.
This week we talked to Angie Skeen, who’s also glad her car seat was installed right, even as she grieved.
“In 2007 I lost my nine-month-old son, Hudson, and my sweet mom in a car accident coming home from a family vacation to Island Park due to an impaired driver,” said Skeen.
So much lost at once…Hudson and his grandma, Connie are buried together in the Plain City Cemetery.
There’s no easy comfort for Angie Skeen, but one fact has helped her move on without blaming herself.
“When I had Hudson at McKay-Dee in 2006, I had had my car seat checked by a car seat technician. And when we'd taken that trip, I had made sure that it was installed properly. And one thing I remember after the accident is the Highway Patrol coming to the hospital and letting me know that Hudson was properly restrained in his car seat. It hadn't moved at all. And knowing that bit of information, I was so grateful as a parent to know that there wasn't anything that I could do differently,” said Skeen.
Skeen now teaches infant and child safety classes for Intermountain Health at McKay-Dee Hospital. She tells us four out of five car seats are not properly installed, and she’s determined to give Utah children their best chance at safety.
“Although my story isn't the typical survival story that we often hear, I hope my experience can give other people some perspective about how important it is in so many different ways to get your car seat checked,” said Skeen.
McKay-Dee and Primary Children’s Hospitals have car seat technicians on staff to help parents for free. Skeen’s classes cost just $15, and cover car seat safety, infant CPR and choking prevention. Click here to find out more and sign up.
