Don’t let another baby become a statistic. Find out what you can do to prevent hot car deaths. Photo: Adobe Stock
Every summer, we hear the awful news about hot car deaths. Forgotten children and pets die in cars that reach temperatures above 120 degrees.
It happens all too often despite numerous public service announcements and reminders to avoid putting society’s most vulnerable in this situation. According to the safety organization Kids and Cars, 37 children, on average, die each year in hot cars. Already in 2017, 29 children have died in overheated cars. According to the ASPCA, the number of pets that die each year is in the thousands.
Legislators are pushing for safety features
A bill aimed at preventing hot car deaths was introduced in the House by Reps. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, Peter King, R-N.Y., and Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill. It would require new cars to have the technology to alert drivers if a child is left in the back seat. The bill passed out of the Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee in July.
“You get a warning when you leave the keys in the car. You should get a warning if you leave a child in the car,” Schakowsky said. “It’s time for action, and the language in this draft would be a great step forward. Children are dying preventable deaths – we cannot afford to wait.”
A similar bill is pending in the Senate.
Automakers are already working on the problem
The 2018 Nissan Pathfinder SUV will come equipped with a rear seat reminder. It was designed by two Nissan engineers who also happen to be moms. If the Rear Door Alert System senses that the back doors have been opened and closed prior to a trip, but not reopened at the end of the trip, it will notify the driver. Notification starts with a display on the instrument panel and progresses to a series of horn honks.
Learn more about the Nissan Pathfinder
The 2017 GMC Acadia was the first to install a rear seat alert to remind drivers they put something in the back seat. It is activated when the SUV’s rear door is opened and closed within 10 minutes before the vehicle is started, or while the vehicle is running.
Then, when the car is turned off, five chimes sound and this message scrolls in the diver information center: “Rear Seat Reminder/Look in Rear Seat.”
General Motors is putting this feature in all its GMC, Chevrolet, Cadillac and Buick models, even its sports cars. The alerts are aimed at saving small children, but they also can save pets who are left in an overheated car.
Learn More About the 2017 GMC Acadia.
So what can you do if you come across a child in a hot car?
Some states have “Good Samaritan” hot car laws that protect civilians who break into cars to rescue a child. Most states require that law enforcement be called either before or after attempting to break into the vehicle.
The states that have”Good Samaritan” hot car laws on the books or already proposed are Arizona (takes effect in August, 2017), California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, and Wisconsin. Alabama has a bill pending as well. Most states at least limit the charges against civilians who break into vehicles to a civil fine.
What about rescuing an animal left in an overheated car?
The laws vary greatly, depending on the state and what type of animal is in the hot car.
Colorado, Maryland, and Minnesota’s laws only apply to dogs and cats. Laws in New York, Nevada and Virginia cover any companion animal. South Dakota’s law covers a cat, dog or other small animal. Both Indiana and North Carolina exempt livestock from coverage. Indiana, Florida and Wisconsin’s law cover any domestic animal.
Some states have laws that allow only public officials like police or humane officers to break into a vehicle to rescue an animal. Those states include Arizona, California, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.
In contrast, both New Jersey and West Virginia prohibit anyone, even law enforcement, from breaking into a vehicle to save an animal.
Keep your car cool this summer
Pets are victims of hot car deaths too. Know your rights as a citizen to help. Photo: Adobe Stock
What You Need to Do Before Breaking Into a Car
If you do feel it is necessary to break into a hot car for a rescue, here are some things to keep in mind:
- First, check all of the doors to see if any are unlocked. There is no point in breaking a window if the doors aren’t locked!
- If the doors are indeed all locked, do not try to break the window with your hand or elbow. Most windows are pretty strong and you are likely to injure yourself and still not gain entry to the vehicle. Look around for a sharp object to crack the window with. You could use a rock, the jack from your own car or a device specifically made for breaking windows. These are available at most auto supply stores and are often carried in glove boxes for use should a car become submerged in water.
- Break the window farthest from the child or animal in the vehicle so as not to shower them with glass when the window breaks.
- Clear all of the jagged pieces from the window before reaching in to unlock the door. You don’t want to cut yourself in the process.
- Consult with 911 to see what actions would be most beneficial for the victim if help has not yet arrived.
Maureen Fitzgerald
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I love that car companies are starting to make cars with alarms to let parents know if they leave their kids or pets in the back seat. As much as any of us hate to admit it, it only takes one frazzled moment for a tragedy to happen.
Excellent post! That Nissan is amazing. I live in Illinois so I could get in trouble but I would definitely break into a car to save a baby or animal
The rear set reminder is a really good safety feature. I didn’t know about the laws for civilians and law enforcement officers for rescuing animals and children!
I get all these safety features are great but how did we get to that a law needs to be created. Maybe when people have children we should give them a pamphlet they need to read of things you DO NOT do as parents. It makes me want to bang my head on the wall.
This is a really great feature, I know sometimes I take our doggy for a ride and completely forget his back there, but I also don’t take him when it’s super hot out or if I were to stay inside anywhere. He goes along for rides that won’t require us leaving him alone in the car, except to walk in and pay for gas, over protective Dog mama here 😉 LOL I love the idea of this feature to help though with so many babies and dogs being reported locked in hot vehicles 🙁
This is such a good post. It is so important to know what your rights and responsibilities are.
This is such an important subject. I’m not sure how a child can be forgotten in a car but it does happen to some and I really love the idea of cars having the alert technology because that would result in 0 deaths from being left in hot cars. It’s unfortunate that not every state protects people from saving a child or animals life by breaking a window into a car hopefully they will change in the near future.
The rear seat reminder is a great feature idea. I heard about a hot car death on the news not too long ago.
New Jersey and West Virginia need to get with it! I can’t believe they have laws that prohibit even law enforcement from protecting an animal! Insane!
I can’t believe that it’s the automotive companies that need to find a solution when it’s so simple to avoid. We should never leave any living thing in a hot car! It’s disappointing that it keeps happening time and time again. So many lives have been wasted.
These are really great tips! Horrible car death stories are increasing. Glad the law and carmakers are working on this problem.
I’ve never personally understood how anyone could leave a child in a car but it’s great to see manufacturer’s working to help those that could. I’m in NJ and there are some people that will break the windows if an animal is suffering no matter if the law allows it or not.
There are these heartbreaking stories in the news all summer long. It’s so awful to think of a child suffering. I hadn’t heard of this bill, nor the feature on the Nissan.
Here in Florida we hear of so many terrible stories of kids and animals found left alone in cars! You would think they know how the Florida heat gets! This is good to know about Nissan.
It is difficult to understand why this leaving a child in a hot car happens, or even leaving a pet in a hot car. I have to check the State Laws on the appropriate action to take if I get to see this. Thanks for the tips.
I cannot believe these tragedies can and do happen. I just could never forgot a child or baby in the car because I am always checking on them in the mirror.