Originally Posted by
SLUZENE
As others have said, there's no 100% condition yellow and it doesn't sound like you had any major failings.
Is it an option for you to have kiddo enter through the driver's door, visual scan, start car, buckle kiddo, then get it in drive/reverse? We have all seen the 1000 soccer moms totally unaware buckling 4 kids in the side of a minivan. I'm not sure what the best answer is for that other than not being "task fixated" as Craig D wisely advocates.
Obviously this is not possible for infants, but if your kid is 5, it certainly might be an option.
Generally when I get in the car I visual scan mirrors/windows, check gun access as needed, start, engage drive/reverse/feel for clutch while breaking/neutral, e-brake off as applicable, buckle, then proceed to drive/reverse. The seatbelt does nothing for me when in park/neutral in a typical parking lot. (Obviously getting into the car after changing a tire on the freeway is a totally different situation.)
Like leaving a lot of room between the front of my car and the vehicle in front of me, my procedure is basically a habit now. Maybe there's a template you could have for kiddo transport to/from the car.