Do your kids ever open seat-belts while you’re driving? Or accidentally open a sibling’s seat-belt when opening their own – the one that’s supposed to stay closed because it’s holding a car-seat in place?
We don’t have a problem with the first situation but the second is a regular annoyance. And OK, it’s not always the kids either – we have two seat belt sockets side by side, one of which should be permanently closed, and which I am guilty of inadvertently opening, on a ridiculously regular basis. These two sockets are embedded deep down in between two booster seats, and sticking my hand down between them at any given time is difficult. So doubling the work by releasing the wrong socket is maddening.
As a result, I was more than happy to review “Beltlock” – a simple cover that prevents kids (or clumsy adults) from opening seat-belts.
It’s a small, light, very straight-forward product; like all the best ideas, it’s very simple.
it just slips over the belt socket, then you click the seat belt into place as normal. In order to open it, you have to stick a key in through the opening. Not a specially designed key that you could potentially lose – just a regular house key, or anything that will fit through the opening, in order to release the latch.
It’s so simple, you’d think if you got one in the post, you’d use it straight away, right? Or would you perhaps put it aside, thinking “great, I must try that soon”. That’s what I did. And two days later, while strapping the kids in to go to school, I managed yet again to release the wrong seat-belt. It took about ten minutes (or what felt like ten minutes when we were already running late) to get the seat-belt back in, and I resolved to try the Belt-Lock as soon as we got home.
Of course I didn’t. And five hours later, I was squeezing my hand down between the seats, wrestling with the same seat-belt, which I had yet again opened by mistake.
So, finally, it was time to try out Belt-Lock. And, it’s simply brilliant. I put it on and took it off with the key, to make sure I could do it, then put it back on. It has been there ever since, and it’s no longer possible for this clumsy adult to release the wrong seat-belt.
Beltlock is an Irish product, and you can buy online at Beltlock.ie . It costs €12.50 with an additional €2.50 in postage.
If you’d like a chance to get one for free, just comment below to say you are interested (or comment on the Office Mum Facebook page, or reply to me on Twitter) and I will pick one person at random and post it out to you. Simple!
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For this product review, I was sent two Beltlocks – one for you and one for me. I wasn’t paid for this – all opinions my own!
I have been meaning to find a solution to the same infuriating problem (clumsy adult) and having to redo the littlest child’s which of course is the most awkward being in the middle! Fingers and toes crossed you pick me 🙂
Ah I have a hybrid of the two issues – the child in the next seat forever opening his brother’s car seat buckle instead of his own. I’d love one but I’m in Australia so that’s probably a wee bit far 🙂
That looks like a great product, please enter me in the competition!
I have only just come out of this phase but what a genius idea, wish I had known of these years ago (or maybe they are only new to the market?) Love that they are Irish too!
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What a fantastic idea for a product. I am just entering the booster seat with seatbelt phase and would love it. But if I don’t win I will definitely be getting one in the near future
What a clever idea!I am also one of those clumsy adults who is forever trying to put the wrong seatbelt in the wrong hole.No if someone could just come up with an easy way for me to unlock doors which I also struggle with!
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Great – I will draw a random winner tomorrow evening and let you know!
Great product, simple and effective. Put me in the hat please!
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My small man thinks if gas to open his belt every time the car stops. Even if we’re just in traffic. Drives me mad. This would be fantastic. He’ll go mad though. Ha! Taste of his own medicine.
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Thanks everyone for commenting – Kirsten Bayly-Parker who commented on the Facebook page came out via the random number generator.