NHTSA Complaint #10467751 — 2012 GMC ACADIA

I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SEAT BELT "LOCKING" MECHANISM IN CARS. WHILE I UNDERSTAND IT WAS MADE FOR LOCKING CARSEATS TIGHTLY INTO PLACE, I HAVE A BIG PROBLEM WITH THERE NOT BEING A "RELEASE" OR "DISENGAGE" SYSTEM IN PLACE. YESTERDAY, MY SON WAS ALMOST STRANGLED TO DEATH BECAUSE OF THIS LOCKING MECHANISM. HE PULLED THE SEATBELT OUT FAR ENOUGH SO THAT WHEN HE RELEASED IT, IT STARTED CLICKING (LOCKING) AND THE BELT GOT WRAPPED AROUND HIS NECK IN THE PROCESS. WHEN MY HUSBAND AND I TRIED TO GET THE SEATBELT OFF OF HIS NECK, IT WAS SO TIGHT THAT WE ALMOST HAD TO CUT THE BELT TO RELEASE IT. INSTEAD, MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO FLIP MY SON UPSIDE DOWN AND TWIST HIM OUT OF THE NOOSE. IF MY HUSBAND HADN'T BEEN WITH ME, I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED. ESPECIALLY SINCE ONE OF US HAD TO HOLD ONTO THE SEATBELT ENTIRE TIME SO THAT IT DIDN'T TIGHTEN ANY FURTHER (WITHOUT TWO OF US THERE, IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE TO GET MY SON OUT OF THERE). IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A "RELEASE" BUTTON TO DISENGAGE THE LOCK POSITION OF THE SEATBELT, THEN WE COULD HAVE EASILY RELEASED THE BELT FROM MY SON'S NECK. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY THERE SHOULDN'T BE SOME SORT OF RELEASE MECHANISM FOR TIMES LIKE THIS. *TR