Child safety is not only confined to car safety seats, how to use them and install them. Child safety in respect to car riding is also often associated with hot car incidents. And as the number of hot car incidents goes up, with 12 children dying of heatstroke this year alone due to hot car incidents, so does the concern associated with this type of deadly mistake.
The story is usually the same. The parent, or caregiver, has a sudden change in routine and he or she is now responsible for dropping the child off at the daycare before heading to work. But sleep deprivation takes its toll, and the driver forgets that he or she has a child in the back seat.
This scenario is all too common, and many of these incidents happen because parents are simply not paying attention, not because they had the intention of leaving their children inside their vehicles. With that in mind, safety advocates are urging parents to take some important steps in order to avoid incidents.
First and foremost, parents should keep in mind that children of all ages suffer a great deal when left unattended in a hot car. Infants and toddlers, however, are much more likely to experience serious heat-related injuries.
In many cases, small children playing near their parents’ vehicles get locked up inside the car while playing. If parents are not alert, they won’t be quick to come to the rescue.
If the vehicle is parked in your garage or driveway and your children are playing outside, make sure the vehicle is locked up. Keep keys and spare keys out of the reach of your children.
But if you’re driving and you have your children in the back, avoid leaving them unattended, even for just a few minutes. The in-car temperature can rise rapidly, and children lack the body mechanisms adults have to deal with drastic changes in temperature.
Before leaving your car, checking in the back seat is instrumental in avoiding hot car incidents. But there are certain things you can do to help you remember that your child is quietly secured in their car safety seats.
Whenever you have your child in your car and you’re ready to leave, place a stuffed animal next to you in the front passenger seat. Or place your cell phone, purse, or briefcase next to the child in the back seat. This will force you to look in the back before you get out of the car.
Whether you’re a concerned parent or a caregiver, keep these suggestions in mind whenever it comes to thinking of ways to keep your children safe.
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