Preventing Hot Car Deaths...

[akmom]

There has been some recent press about the new Evenflo car seat with "Sensorsafe" technology. It's supposed to help prevent hot car deaths. (Here is the product: http://www.evenflo.com/SensorSafe/)

Basically it just sends you an alert any time the car seat's chest clip is closed and the car is off, so you remember not to leave your baby in the car when you leave. It's quite a bit simpler than other ideas that have been tossed around, such as a sensor that determines how much weight is in the car seat to figure out whether there's a child in it. And the price is reasonable compared to other models, about $150. (Although those of us with older children will note that sometimes the chest clip is closed because there is a baby doll in there, rather than a real child!)

But here's the problem. You have to have the wireless receiver with you to get the alert. What's the chances that a parent will remember a wireless receiver, but not their child? Even if you keep it in your purse, there's a chance that you'll forget your purse, or maybe you typically leave your purse in the car when you get home anyway, or maybe someone else is driving the baby that day. Or what if you are simply sitting in the car with your baby, while the spouse runs into the store? It can't differentiate those circumstances.

Evenflo's Sensorsafe technology did give me an idea though. What about a simple heat sensor on the chest clip? Any time the temperature exceeds 90 degrees and the chest clip is closed, it would activate the car's alarm system. Then anyone nearby is alerted to the distress (not just the person who has the receiver), and they can rescue the child right away. When the chest clip is open, the sensor is deactivated, so nothing would happen when an empty car overheats. When the chest clip is closed and the temperature stays low, such as when everyone is waiting in the car on purpose, it won't go off either. What do you think?

 

[artmom]

I think that this is yet, another example of our dependency on technology to remind us of something that is common sense. It's not just babies but animals, too, and there are people who travel with their pets and babies and toddlers at the same time. What if the parent is so focused on remembering the baby and not everyone else?

You are right in that it's one more thing to remember when new mothers already have a difficult time remembering things. In my Lamaze class, the instructor was telling us of how her new family was packing up to go on a vacation. She was so busy trying to remember if they got all the material things packed, that she drove off, got half down the block before realizing she forgot her baby whom she placed on the driveway. She called it "new mothers brain".

I think, instead of reminders to not forget a little someone in the car, other, more affordable and easier safety implements can be used.

A simple thermometer placed in the car, make sure your air conditioning is working, or keep the windows open and never leave your child in the car while sitting with the windows or doors closed even if you are in the car.

You can get insta-cool packs at Canadian Tire. You should keep some in a glove box or somewhere close at hand and ample bottles of water.

Don't bundle babies up when there is no need. I know some parents think babies can get cold when it's 30C out.

Put high SPF sunscreen on them, even you think they are just going to be in the car as a window can act like a magnifying glass.

Invest in a screen that you attach to windows.

Those Baby On Board signs are there to alert people and medics that there is likely a baby in the car.

If you do have a carseat with an electronic reminder, make sure the remote is attached to your keys.

If you do leave your keys in the car, and your baby is in there call 911 for a firetruck and do exactly what the 911 operator tells you, even if it means breaking a window. Don't be afraid to ask strangers for help with this.

Keep your keys separate from your purse. I put mine in my pocket since I tend to forget my purse more frequently.

 

[BellaBabyBoutiq]

I think that those are excellent suggestions.

I think one solution is that there should be laws on leaving small children in cars. I think the laws should be so strict so that parents will not do it.

That way there is no question about it. Leave your small kid in a car unattended, get fined or go to jail. I don't know how else we can do anything about it.

Education would be the only other way to get the word out that children, babies and dogs can expire in hot cars.

Sadly a lot of minivans probably hide the fact that there might be a small child in there that you can't see because of the darker windows.

 

[akmom]

Problem is, good working A/C, insta-cool packs in the glovebox, and stricter laws do nothing to help parents who FORGET their babies are in the car. And it does nothing to alert bystanders that a baby has been forgotten in the car.

 

[BellaBabyBoutiq]

I agree it's sheer stupidity....like the lady who left her baby at the grocery store for 40 minutes, really? What the heck. We have never left our kids anywhere, ever, ever, ever. Are these people on drugs or what?

 

[artmom]

Problem is, good working A/C, insta-cool packs in the glovebox, and stricter laws do nothing to help parents who FORGET their babies are in the car. And it does nothing to alert bystanders that a baby has been forgotten in the car.

I can see forgetting keys in the car and then car locks on you before you can get your baby out. I would break a window if that happened. I wouldn't even wait a second.
If I forget a baby in the car, it wouldn't take me more than a minute, like realizing my arms seem to be lighter and then I would go back right away.

How many cases where a baby was left for long periods of time, the parent, or whomever, said they forgot but really did leave their kid on purpose because they didn't want to deal with them in the store.

I've hear of so many parents, on the bus, when I was at school, wherever, try and get a friend or family member to watch their kids while they go shopping just because they don't want to take their kids out in public. From what I've been told by some of them who do that is they feel the pressure from society to not take their kids to stores and restaurants because of the potential noise they may make.
I think society needs to chill out and may be parents will feel more comfortable bringing their kids into social, public settings. The more kids are exposed to those environments the better they learn to behave in public.