The incidences of children being accidentally left in locked cars in the summer happens more often than you could ever imagine. According to kidsandcars.com, since 1998 there have been 726 child deaths from heatstroke due to children being left in cars. That is 726 children too many. For the most part, the problem with children getting left in hot cars is accidental. Now, I know, there is a perfect person out there saying, " I would never do that". Well, I say, NEVER SAY NEVER. These incidents tend to happen when the adults involved change their daily habits or their routine is interrupted and they simply forget. Think of how many stories you hear about a parent who usually does not take the child to daycare or the sitter, suddenly has the duty to do so and doesn't realize that they forgot until they go to their car or when the first responders are standing around their car trying to revive their little one. That's a scene no parent wants to walk into.
According to research, it only takes about 10 minutes for the temperature inside a car to warm up by about 20 degrees. Most of the incidents of children being left in hot cars occurs between June and August. Little children are susceptible to the heat because their little bodies don't have the same internal temperature control as adults. A child's body temp can rise up to 5 times faster than an adult's. The child basically dies from heatstroke. A series of things can happen--nausea, disorientation, delirium, seizures, dehydration, organ failure, breathing and heart issues, cardiac arrest--that lead to a child's death.
As mentioned before the majority of cases where children were left in hot cars is due to someone unwillingly doing so but, there have been those times when children were playing in unlocked cars, some circumstances that could not be identified and then you have the cases where a child was INTENTIONALLY left in the car--like the mother that allegedly left her toddler in the car for 6 hours while she was in the salon. Supposedly, she left the air conditioner on, but the car shut off sometime during those 6 hours and her baby died. I have NO sympathy for that.
What can we do about this? There are are 19 states in the US that have laws against leaving children unattended in a motor vehicle http://www.kidsandcars.org/resources/state-laws/ . That's a start. There are a few technological items available:
- SensorSafe--some Evenflo car seats have sensors to alert you... www.evenflo.com/sensorsafe/sensorsafe.html
- 1. Be extra alert if your routine changes. That's when the risk of unintentionally leaving your child in your car increases.
- 2. Put something of your child's, like a toy, on the front seat. Even if you can't see your child in the backseat (especially if he's in a rear-facing car seat), the toy should trigger a reminder that he's there.
- 3. Leave an item you'll need at your next destination in the backseat, such as your cell phone, purse, or briefcase.
- 4. Place your child's car seat in the middle of the backseat rather than behind the driver. That way, it's easier to see her in your rearview mirror.
- 5. Set up a system with your child-care provider. If you don't plan to drop off your child that day, call her. If the child doesn't arrive as expected, have the caregiver call you.
- 6. Discuss the topic of hot-car deaths with every person who drives your child anywhere. This includes partners, grandparents, babysitters, and friends.
- 7. Always "look before you lock." Get in the habit of checking the backseat every time you get out of the car.
- 8. Do not leave your empty car unlocked. This way little ones will not go in there to play
Just remember that leaving a child in a hot car happens far more often than you think. Be diligent. Look before you lock and ask yourself, "where's baby?". Finally, if you see any child in a car seat alone in a car, call 911.
Smooches
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