A record number of children died in hot vehicles in 2018, according to a report by the National Safety Council (NSC).
The report says that last year, 52 children died in hot vehicles, making it the deadliest year in the past 20 years, and since 1998, almost 800 children have died from vehicular heatstroke — The NSC says 53.8 percent of caregivers forgot a child was in the car, and in 26.3 percent of the deaths, the child gained access to the vehicle without the caregiver’s knowledge. In 18.6 percent of the cases, the caregiver knew a child was in the vehicle.
Even on mild or cloudy days, temperatures inside vehicles can reach life-threatening levels, and leaving windows slightly open doesn’t help, the reports says. Children should never be left unattended or be able to get inside a vehicle.
NSC advises parents and caregivers to stick to a routine and avoid distractions to reduce the risk of forgetting a child. Place a purse, briefcase or even a left shoe in the back seat to force you to take one last look before walking away, experts say. Keep car doors locked so children cannot gain access, and teach them that cars are not play areas.
Only 21 states have laws regarding this issue, the report says. Eight include the possibility of felony charges for people who deliberately leave a child alone.
There are several companies out there that want to help remind rushed and preoccupied parents to check their back seats.
One of those companies is General Motors. Beginning with the release of the 2017 Acadia, GM has a “rear seat reminder” built into more than 20 of its 2017 and 2018 models. It will flash a message on the front controls and ding five times if the back door is opened and closed up to 10 minutes before the car starts.
The navigation app Waze has come out with a similar function. The “child reminder” setting alerts drivers to check their back seats once they’ve reached their programmed destination.
(Photo courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
