AFTER RETURNING FROM AN ERRAND, MY FAMILY AND I WERE PARKED IN OUR DRIVEWAY. MY FOUR-YEAR-OLD SON WAS SITTING IN THE THIRD ROW PASSENGER SIDE AND BUCKLED USING THE CAR'S SEATBELT. HE WAS SITTING IN HIS TODDLER CARSEAT, PER GUIDELINES. IN TRYING TO UNBUCKLE HIMSELF, HE BECAME INEXTRICABLY ENTANGLED IN THE SEATBELT. THE MORE HE OR I TRIED TO FREE HIM; THE TIGHTER THE SEATBELT BECAME AROUND HIS TORSO, EVEN MAKING INDENTATIONS AND ABRASIVE RED MARKS ON HIS SKIN. SINCE I COULD FIND NO WAY TO RELEASE THE TENSION IN THE SEATBELT AND SINCE IT ONLY BECAME TIGHTER BECAUSE OF MY EFFORTS TO FREE HIM, I DECIDED TO SEVER THE SEATBELT, EFFECTIVELY RESOLVING THE TENSION AND ALLOWING HIM TO GET OUT OF THE SEAT. THE INCIDENT LASTED APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES FROM THE REALIZATION THAT HE WAS ENTANGLED TO THE DECISION TO CUT HIM OUT OF THE SEATBELT. I COULD NOT LIFT HIM OUT OF THE SEATBELT BECAUSE IT WAS TOO TIGHT, AND HE COULDN'T WIGGLE HIS WAY DOWN THE SEAT TO FREE HIMSELF WITHOUT THE BELT WRAPPING AROUND HIS NECK. GIVEN THE SITUATION, SEVERING THE SEATBELT WAS THE BEST AND SAFEST CHOICE TO FREE HIM. THERE NEEDS TO BE A WAY TO RELEASE THE TENSION OF THE SEAT BELTS IN THE THIRD ROW OF HONDA ODYSSEY MODELS, PARTICULARLY BECAUSE THEY ARE FAMILY VEHICLES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN. I HAVE REGISTERED THIS CONCERN WITH HONDA, AND IT HAS BEEN A CASE NUMBER. *TR