You might as well bake your child in a hot car

What if a little reminder in the car could save your child’s life?

So far this year, there have been 18 cases in the U.S. where a child died of heatstroke after a parent left their child in the car. It’s June and that’s right on pace for the figures provided by the National Safety Council. The NSC’s figures show that, on average, 37 children die of heatstroke when left in a car each year.

It’s easy to look at these tragic instances as cases of parental neglect or, in some cases, even abuse. But, the reality of these cases happen because, in the hustle and bustle of their life, a busy parent forgets that their child is in the car seat behind them.

You may ask yourself, “How could someone forget their child like that?” No doubt, heartbroken parents have asked the same thing about themselves.

For a parent, coming to terms with the loss of a child is bad enough. When that loss is straddled with a sense of guilt it can be emotionally destructive.

A simple reminder could save a child’s life

What parents need is something they can count on to remind them about that precious package in the backseat.

One way is to put something in the backseat with your child that you couldn’t possibly forget, such as one of your shoes. With your first step out of the car, you should notice that you need your shoe.

There are numerous companies bringing new devices, often connected to smartphones, that will help to remind parents if they’ve left a child in a car. Some will monitor the heat in the car and, while blowing cool air, will send a text message to a cell phone.

The problem isn’t always that the child was forgotten. While 14% of heatstroke fatalities to children left in hot cars occur intentionally, the other fatalities are not always due to someone forgetting their child is in the car. In some cases, parents don’t recognize the danger to their children.

One major misconception is that leaving a window down a little will provide enough of a cooling effect and some fresh air. The interior of a car can reach temperatures close to 200 degrees. Meat is considered fully cooked at that temperature. The benefits of cracking a window a little are marginal.

The important lesson is that heatstroke can kill while, at the same time, anyone can forget even the most important details. Don’t assume you won’t forget, too. Having a plan can save you from ever wishing you did.