Even When Parked, Vehicles Still a Hazard for Kids in the Summer
No more teachers, no more books! School’s out for summer, and with the warm weather, kids are headed outdoors to make the most of their time off. It also means parents need to be extra vigilant when it comes to keep track of youngsters, especially when it comes to their vehicles.
So far this year, child safety group Kids and Cars have reported 100 non-traffic fatalities, which includes 35 frontovers, 32 backovers, and 18 related to heat. Expect more sad stats to come, as injuries and deaths peak in the summer months. In fact, seven children died of heat stroke last week after being left along in cars.
Consumer reports as put together a video, as well as some tips, on how you can do your part to prevents these types of tragedies:
- Kids should never be left alone in a car, as the interior temperature rising quickly, and children being particularly vulnerable to temperature changes. There’s also the risk of a child disengaging a parking brake, which could set the vehicle in motion.
- If you’re changing up your everyday routine, be sure to check your car before you leave for the day. To remind yourself that there is a child in the car, you can use a hint such as a stuffed animal in the front seat so you don’t forget to check the rear. Another good idea is to put an essential item such as your purse or briefcase in the back seat – that way you’ll be forced to open the back door before locking up.
- When entering or reversing from a driveway, make sure there are no children in the way and go slowly. Music should be turned off, and a backup camera comes in handy, especially if you have a large vehicle
- To ensure that kids don’t get into your car while you’re not around, always lock the doors and keep the windows rolled up.
- If you’re in a parking lot, have a casual and quick look around to see if any children are left in their vehicles. If so, take action and call 911 immediately.
Watch the video after the jump.
[Source: Consumer Reports]
More by Amy Tokic
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