JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – It won’t be cooling off here anytime soon and emergency Responders say during times like these, they see an increase in the number of children left in hot cars during the summer.
More hot and humid days are ahead. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, around 40 children die yearly from heatstroke because they were left or trapped in a car.
Emergency Responders here in Mississippi want to make sure that it doesn’t happen this summer.
It’s hard to imagine that a parent could leave their little one in the backseat, but AMR’s Eric Philips says it can happen to even the most attentive parent.
“Most time, it’s because they’ve gotten out of a routine. And somebody was supposed to take the child and somebody didn’t. And it’s a different routine from what they normally do. And they just, unfortunately, sometimes they just forget, it’s really hard to believe that people could forget about a kid. But unfortunately, it does happen. Some of the biggest things are making really good habits,” says Phillips.
With the hustle and bustle of life, having visual cues in your car are important. Even though some of the methods may look silly, officials say these little reminders can save your child’s life.
To avoid overlooking a small child restrained in a car safety seat, use these four tips:
In most households with children in daycare, the same parent takes the child to the daycare center almost every day. When the other parent or someone else takes the child to daycare, those adults should agree to call each other right after the time the child is scheduled to reach the center, to make sure the “drop” went as planned. When the decision is made to change the routine, both parties should immediately set reminders on their cell phones.
AMR says car trunks are especially hazardous for children who can get out of booster seats or safety belts on their own. To prevent a child’s getting trapped in a scorching trunk, he advised:
Most vehicles have a safety latch inside the trunk. Parents are advised to teach older children where that latch is and how to use it.
Medics also urged parents and others who take care of children:
Want more WLBT news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please click here to report it and include the headline of the story in your email.
Copyright 2023 WLBT. All rights reserved.
Emergency responders offer tips to avoid overlooking a small child in the backseat of a vehicle – WLBT
