But deputies acknowledged things could have been much worse without the seat belts at all.
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The kids - 3 and 5 years old - and their grandmother were rushed to the hospital after a major two-vehicle crash Thursday evening in the 10700 block of Airline Drive, which is between McFarland and West roads in the Aldine area.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office said deputies were called out at about 7:28 p.m.
An HCSO tweet originally stated the injured children may have been unrestrained at the time of the crash, which deputies reported as a three-vehicle incident.
Investigators later corrected the information, saying two vehicles were involved.
According to HCSO Vehicular Crimes Division Sgt. Steven Jumbo, a Camaro was heading northbound on Airline when it approached McFarland, where a Mini Cooper with the kids and their grandmother entered the intersection.
It was then, Jumbo said, the Camaro T-boned the Mini.
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The kids and the grandmother were admitted to the hospital in critical condition but stable, and they're all expected to survive. The Camaro driver remained at the scene and showed no signs of intoxication, Jumbo said.
The sheriff's office is still looking into whether speed, road or weather conditions played a factor in the crash. Jumbo pointed out at the construction in the area.
"I think the fact they were restrained at all, I think, really did good for them. I think it could have been much worse if there were no car seats or seat belts on," Jumbo said.
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