How many preparations do you make before leaving home with your children? You pack the stroller and diaper bag, gather snacks, drinks, books, and toys, grab extra diapers, wipes, and a change of clothes, and ensure your little ones are safely buckled into their car seats. But what if preventing a hot car tragedy became just as instinctive as securing them in their seats? Jenni Taylor, editor of a popular automotive site, envisions this as a reality.
Taylor points out to Home Insemination Kit that, on average, 37 children die each year due to hot car incidents, which include kids who accidentally lock themselves in vehicles. In 2017, there were 43 such deaths, and already in 2018, there have been 28 fatalities, putting the year on track to be the most tragic yet.
Why is This Happening?
Why is this happening with increasing frequency? Is it due to heightened awareness from media coverage, or are parents simply busier and more distracted than ever before? While it’s easy to speculate, the harsh truth is that these incidents occur. They affect loving parents who would do anything for their kids. The outdated question of “How could anyone forget their child?” only perpetuates stigma. Many parents probably thought, “This could never happen to me”—until it did.
I personally experienced this nightmare twice. Yes, I left my infants in the car on two separate occasions. You can criticize my parenting, but I’ve already faced my own guilt. Fortunately, my babies were unharmed because I realized my mistake almost immediately. I’m not a bad mother; I’m an attentive parent who knows how quickly these things can happen. Both times, I had a quiet car with a sleeping baby, while my older child was with my partner. In those few minutes of silence during our short drive, I forgot the baby was in the backseat.
Instead of casting judgment from the sidelines, let’s focus on prevention. We are all human, and everyone is susceptible to tragedy. Our children deserve to be safe each day and to have a bright future.
Practical Steps for Prevention
There are practical steps parents can take, such as leaving personal items like wallets or bags in the back seat to serve as a reminder. Some daycares have alert systems that notify parents if a child is late. Many parents also text each other to confirm their child has been safely dropped off.
Car manufacturers, however, are also stepping up to combat this issue. General Motors was the first to introduce a Rear Seat Reminder System, which alerts drivers with a chime if they opened their back doors at the start of their trip. Similarly, Nissan’s Rear Door Alert System, currently available in the 2018 Pathfinder, provides a message on the dashboard and sounds the horn if the back doors were opened. Nissan plans to implement this feature across all its vehicles by 2020.
Hyundai offers a different approach with its Rear Occupant Alert System in the 2019 Santa Fe. This system includes a motion sensor that activates if movement is detected in the back seat after the driver exits the vehicle. While this may not help with a sleeping newborn, it’s effective for alerting parents if a toddler is left inside.
Innovative Apps and Technology
Innovative apps and car seat technology have also emerged to assist parents. Kars 4 Kids offers a free app that connects via Bluetooth to remind users about children in the backseat. Another app, Drivers Little Helper, alerts parents and can even contact someone if the driver fails to respond. Car seat manufacturers like Evenflo are also developing technology that alerts parents when a child is in the vehicle, such as their SensorSafe system.
Ultimately, there are numerous options available. If you’re a parent of young children, please take these preventive measures seriously. As Jenni Taylor suggests, mix and match methods for the best results. When shopping for a new vehicle or car seat, inquire about available safety technologies to protect your little ones from heat-related tragedies. Remember, it can happen to anyone.
“We work tirelessly to keep our kids safe in various ways,” Taylor emphasizes. So, why not apply the same diligence here?
Further Reading
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Summary
Innovative technologies are emerging to help prevent hot car fatalities among children, with car manufacturers introducing alert systems and various apps designed to keep children safe. Parents are encouraged to adopt multiple preventive measures to ensure their children return home safely each day.
Keyphrase: hot car deaths prevention
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