Want to share this scary experience as a warning to other families.
My partner was coming back from the office yesterday evening. I was busy preparing food in the kitchen while our 2-year-old daughter was standing near the front door, watching for her mom’s return.
When she spotted the familiar vehicle approaching, she got incredibly excited, yelling “MOMMY’S BACK!” and dancing around. It was adorable to see how much she missed her mom during the day.
I stepped away from cooking for maybe 20 seconds to grab something from the counter. In that brief moment, my toddler somehow made it outside through the front entrance and into our driveway area.
My partner was pulling forward into the parking space, relying on the backup sensors and camera system. But those safety features completely missed our tiny child who was rushing toward the vehicle, shouting with excitement.
Our daughter reached the car and knocked on the driver side, calling out “MOMMY!” That’s when my partner finally noticed her there.
The color drained from her face immediately. She realized how close we came to a terrible accident. Just a few more feet and our little one could have been seriously hurt.
When they both came inside, our daughter was still bouncing with happiness while my partner looked completely shaken. She explained what almost happened and I felt sick to my stomach.
We thought we were being cautious parents, but clearly it wasn’t enough. Our child is safe only because of pure chance.
This serves as a reminder that backup cameras and sensors aren’t foolproof with small children. They move so quickly and quietly that even the best technology can miss them.