Who would have thought that a simple seatbelt device for special-needs kids would garner so much attention?
It all started with Natalie Bell, a mom of five from Victoria, Australia, who wondered what would become of her deaf daughter in the event of a car crash. Her daughter has a cochlear implant, and thus, there are special considerations in an emergency situation, such as should they need to administer an MRI on her.
What began as a simple alert label seatbelt cover (not unlike the medic alert bracelet), which Bell photographed and posted on Facebook, turned into a wholly untapped market.
Rather incredibly, the photograph of her daughter strapped in with a simple sign saying “I am deaf. I have a cochlear implant. No MRI” has racked up well over 200,000 reactions, with over three-quarters of a million shares from other Facebook users.
Others read, “I have Down syndrome. I may resist help,” and “I have type 1 diabetes. Insulin Dependent.”
The versatile, simple design can easily be fitted to the strap of a backpack, as another photograph of her daughter demonstrates.
Among the tens of thousands of comments, many people recognized not only how this could help others but also themselves. As one woman wrote:
Meanwhile, there were even emergency responders and police officers who touted the ingenious solution.
“This is an amazing idea! As a cop I wish I could hand these out to anyone who needs them,” wrote one person.
“My husband is part of Fire and Rescue and said that this is a brilliant idea,” another woman added. “Such a valuable piece that provides a lot of information clearly so that personal involved can approach situations with knowledge and care.”
Bell is now busy putting together the thousands of seatbelt-cover special orders that she’s received. They’re going for $12 apiece and 2 for $20. Not only was it a great idea to corner the market, but she’s playing a great role to help out kids just like her own, who might one day find themselves in an emergency situation.