As temperatures rise into the 90s Monday and Tuesday, child safety advocates are reminding parents and caregivers about the dangers of leaving a child in a hot vehicle.
A reported 36 children have died in hot cars this year (one case in Medina), and the United States is on pace to a record-setting year in hot-car deaths, according to data from kidsandcars.org.
The website suggests high and low-tech products as well as simple methods to help drivers remember that there is a child in the back seat:
CellSlip: Place your phone in the CellSlip sleeve, and put it in the back seat. The slip blocks phone signals, so it prevents distracted driving and will make you open the back door. CellSlip is priced at $6.50.
Sense A Life: This device sends an alarm when you exit the vehicle. Sense A Life works with any type of child seat or vehicle, and has iOS and Android apps for phone notifications. The device costs $99.
Evenflo Car Seats: Evenflo manufactures some car seats with SensorSafe technology. The chest clip on the child's seat belt will notify you if they are not safely strapped in, and remind you that they are in the vehicle when the engine is cut off.
Place a bag, briefcase, work badge or even a shoe in the back seat.
Carry a glass-breaking tool to break the window in case emergency services aren't responding in time.
“We really believe that technology is going to be the solution to prevent these tragedies,” kidsandcars.org Director Amber Rollins said.
Parents are encouraged to do anything they can to remind themselves to open the back seat door before completely leaving the vehicle.
