By Mary Kuhlman
Public News Service
Temperatures continue to be hot and humid across Kentucky, and with that comes concerns about children being left in cars.
Already this year, 25 children across the country have died of heat stroke after being left in a hot vehicle, including a 3-year-old in Franklin County in July. Ari Finkelstein, a spokesperson for the organization “Kars for Kids,” said a new survey found that only 16 percent of parents thought they might forget and leave their child in a hot car.
Numerous smartphone apps are available that will alert parents to check their back seats before exiting their vehicle. (Photo from Jim Champion/Flickr)
“They think it happens to ‘bad’ parents, to irresponsible, neglectful parents,” he said. “They think a lot of these parents are doing it intentionally, and they just don’t think that such a thing can happen to themselves.”
Forgotten Baby Syndrome describes the ability for a parent to unintentionally leave a child unattended in a car, and scientists have said it’s possible because a busy parent’s brain can go on “autopilot” with routine activities such as driving to and from work. Numerous smartphone apps are available that create an alert to check the back seat before exiting the car.
Finkelstein said only 15 percent of parents take precautions, but added that you don’t have to invest in technology for an extra measure of protection.
“It’s recommended to leave something, like a teddy bear, in the car seat when your child is not in the car,” he said, “and then, whenever the child is there, you put the teddy bear into the front seat. That will always serve as a reminder.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, temperatures inside a car can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes, even with a window cracked open. Kentucky is among the worst states for incidences of children who have died in hot vehicles, ranking 42nd nationally.
The survey is online at kars4kids.org.
