Seatbelt Buddy Product Review

Those of us who have a lead foot or maybe drive a vehicle that draws attention know what it’s like to get pulled over. When the officer says, “license, registration, and proof of insurance,” it’s best if you have those documents ready and don’t make him wait in traffic while you dig around in your glove box, console, or bag. The guys over at Seatbelt Buddy have come up with a workable solution for the problem.

My Seatbelt Buddy Review—

The Seatbelt Buddy is essentially a velcro wallet that wraps around your seat belt. Like a regular wallet, it has sleeves for a few cards. You can store your license, registration, proof of insurance, and concealed carry permit stored neatly and conveniently on your seat belt. They make the Seatbelt Buddy from black nylon and it's available in a few variations. One version has no markings, and one has the word “GUN” embroidered on it in large, white letters. If you want your custom logo embroidered on the Seatbelt Buddy, there is an option coming soon for that as well.

What I like—

Regardless of whether your state has ‘duty to notify‘ law or not, the Seatbelt Buddy's design will keep your hands visible to officers during a stop, and should make for a smoother and potentially safer experience for everyone involved. I like the Seatbelt buddy, and I'll continue using it because it provides a convenient solution for keeping critical cards and documents in one place. That being said, there are a few things to consider when deciding if the Seatbelt Buddy is right for you.

Considerations—

First, I prefer the nondescript version over the one embroidered with “GUN” for a couple of reasons. The seat belt buddy allows me to access my documents without digging through my vehicle, which is ideal, but displaying “GUN” on my seat belt during a traffic stop seems like it has the potential to cause the opposite reaction and escalate tension during the traffic stop. Some officers may appreciate the heads up, but some might overreact, interpret it as a potential threat, and draw their own weapon. Also, it could create some confusion if you don't have the gun with you or if someone else who is not armed drives your vehicle.

Second, and perhaps a bigger concern is that an immoral soul might look in, see the word Gun, and burglarize my vehicle hoping to score a free gun. For the same reason, I don't put gun stickers on my vehicle. This is a complete non-issue if you purchase the regular Seatbelt Buddy.

Finally you may want to consider not leaving your driver's license and concealed carry permit in the seatbelt buddy all the time. I see the potential of leaving your IDs in the car when you're out of the car and need them. And the Seatbelt Buddy doesn't serve it's purpose if your cards are in your pocket when you get pulled over. A possible workaround is to make a copy of your driver's license and permit to store in the Seatbelt Buddy, and keep your originals inside your wallet on your person. You can hand the copies to the officer, and tell them if they want the originals, you have them in your wallet. Doing this slows down the interaction, satisfies any ‘duty to notify requirements' and gives you the opportunity to ask for permission before reaching for your wallet.

Overall Impressions—

I think this is a clever invention for a problem lots of people have even if you don't carry a gun– particularly those who like to drive fast or maybe just have limited space in their vehicle.

If you're interested in one, you can check them out and order here.

Stay safe.