Car Safety Advocate's Plea For Preventing Children's Hyperthermia Deaths
The following are a letter from Janette Fennell, Founder and President of KidsandCars.org, and the KidsandCars.org newsletter. It’s astounding how many children have been killed as a result of non-traffic accidents this year. I can’t fathom how anyone could leave their children in a hot car on a smoldering summer day, but apparently these accidents are still prevalent in this country. Janette’s plea is a kind one; she assigns no blame. Rather, she chooses to educate and urge us to be on the lookout for children or pets left in cars, and work towards viable solutions for this growing problem.
Hello:
This has been a very difficult summer. So many precious little lives have been lost. Unfortunately there have been 23 hyperthermia deaths already this year, 48 backover deaths and a total of 110 children killed due to nontraffic incidents. Despite our efforts and accomplishments, children are still being harmed in and around motor vehicles.
We have followed the tragic miscommunication between family members who each thought the other person had the child; and the result was a child dying in a hot car. We are quick to judge and completely distance ourselves from anything similar ever happening to us. The blogs are filled with unheard of punishments for the adults involved. I can't help but remember the story when Jesus was left at the Temple. Mary thought Joseph had Jesus and vice-versa. It wasn't till the men and women met up on their way back home did they realize their error. It is believed that Jesus was left alone for about 3 days. When is the last time you heard Mary and Joseph being called irresponsible parents?
We simply must stop ‘blaming’ people for being human and work together towards solutions. No matter the reasons, it is innocent children suffering the consequences. Consumer Reports added an excellent article to their safety blog today. (below) Did you know that we have virtually eradicated children being killed by front passenger seat airbags as a cause of death to children in the US? Children belong in the backseat where they are safest; but have we now created the unintended consequence of being out-of-sight that can lead to "out-of-mind" with the slightest change of routine or interruption. We have this same opportunity to end the issue of children dying in hot cars as we did with airbag deaths. By working together in the same manner this can be done.
In the meantime, please snoop around parking lots when you are out-and-about to ensure a child has not been left in a car. Get involved. Call 911 immediately. Put your employee ID, cell phone, handbag or something you’ll need on the backseat floorboard so you will be forced to look in the backseat before leaving your vehicle. Always open your back door when you arrive at your destination to make sure your backseat is empty. We call this the “Look…then lock” campaign. After doing so for about two weeks, it should become a habit. Make certain your daycare provider will contact you if you haven’t dropped off your child or let them know your child would not be attending child care as scheduled. Provide daycare providers with every conceivable telephone number they might need to insure your child is safe.
Are these unthinkable tragedies not really ‘real’ because we didn’t experience them personally or didn’t happen to someone we know?
How do we put a message out there when some people have become numb?
These deaths are real, these deaths are predictable and most importantly these deaths are preventable.
Help us save the children. Get the word out!
Best Regards,
Janette E. Fennell
Founder/President
KIDS AND CARS
Janette@KidsAndCars.org
(913) 327-0013
Fax (913) 327-0014
www.KidsAndCars.org
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