Danger Children!
By Nancy Honig
Now if you only look at the headline you may be thinking children are dangerous. What I want to focus on is the dangers of leaving children alone in or around cars. As we approach warmer weather children will be spending more time outdoors and the danger of children being left alone in and around cars increases.
Thousands of children are seriously injured or killed every year because a driver backing up was not able to see them behind their vehicle. Backovers take place mainly in driveways and parking lots. In over 70% of these incidents, a parent or close relative is the driver behind the wheel. Over 60% of backovers involve a larger vehicle such as a truck, van, or SUV Here are some safety tips to use to avoid these tragedies.
Backing Safety
* Always walk around and behind a vehicle prior to moving it.
* Know where your children are. Make sure they move away from your vehicle to a place where they are in full view before moving the car.
* If your car doesn’t have a rearview camera, back up sensors and/or additional mirrors on your vehicles consider installing them
* Teach children that “parked” vehicles might move and make sure they understand that the driver might not be able to see them, even if they can see the driver.
* Teach your children to never play in, around or behind a vehicle. The driveway is not a safe place to play.
* Keep toys, bikes, and other sports equipment out of the driveway.
* Trim landscaping around the driveway to ensure drivers can see the sidewalk, street, and pedestrians clearly when backing out of their driveway.
* Roll down the driver’s side window when backing so you can hear if someone is warning you to stop.
Leaving Children in a Car
Children are more at risk for heatstroke because a child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s and heatstroke can occur at body temperatures above 104 degrees. Even mild outside temperatures can pose a threat, and temperatures in parked vehicles rise very quickly. In just 10 minutes, the temperature inside of a vehicle can increase by almost 20 degrees.
* Never leave infants or children in a parked vehicle, even if the windows are partially open.
* Create a memory signal you use each time your child is in the back seat of the car. For example, a diaper bag in the front seat or their backpack. Something that will remind you a child is still there.
* Make a habit of looking in the vehicle — front and back — before locking the door and walking away.
* Do not let children play in an unattended vehicle. Teach them that a vehicle is not a play area.
* Always lock vehicle doors and trunks and keep keys out of children’s reach.
* If a child is missing, check the vehicle first, including the trunk or storage area.
