Don’t leave children in hot cars, campaign urges

Washington – Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx and child safety advocates recently participated in a public education campaign event warning of the dangers of leaving children in hot cars.

On July 24 in Washington, Foxx joined federal officials, child safety advocates and early-learning providers to view a live demonstration of how emergency personnel respond to 911 calls about children being left in hot vehicles.

The “Where’s Baby? Look Before You Lock” campaign, launched in 2012 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aims to educate parents and the public on how to prevent child heatstroke deaths.

NHTSA notes that 17 children have died in 2014 after they were left unattended in a hot vehicle, and 44 died in 2013.

The Department of Transportation and NHTSA offer the following tips:

• Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle – even if the windows are partially open or the air conditioning is on.
• Make a habit of looking in the vehicle before walking away.
• Use reminders that a child is in the vehicle, such as placing a phone, purse or briefcase in the back seat. Or, write a note or put a stuffed animal in the driver’s view.