A Hot Car

I have been talking about this a lot lately as a result of all the recent news coverage over leaving children in the car.  I have tried to reason with those who swear it could never happen to them. "who could forget their child?"  Well I can and I did!

         My daughter Sarah was 6 years old and had stayed home from school sick that day. I was cleaning houses which allowed her to go to work with me since most of the time was spent in my car driving anyhow.   I went about my normal day with Sarah at my side. she helped me clean a few houses when she felt like it but she mostly slept.   It was a hour ride home and she crashed out hard so hard that I forgot she was back there. I was jamming to the radio and thinking about what I was going to make for supper.  I stopped at the little local store where my Mom works just like I did everyday. I pulled in cut the engine off and walk inside. I grabbed the items I needed and started talking to my mom and the other lady who worked there. This had become part of my normal routine. We talked a few minutes maybe even 20 to be honest I dont know how long it was. The entire time my Tahoe was in sight with doors unlocked, key in the ignition , windows rolled up and my daughter inside. I had forgot she was in the back seat asleep. She was never with me when I went to work and I was even thinking about how I needed to hurry so I wouldn't miss the  school bus and it never dawned on me she was sleep in the car.  My daughter woke up and began to panic because she was getting extremely hot. She climbed out of her seat and decided she was going to turn the air on.
                     I stood there laughing, listening to gossip and retelling some gossip of my own when a strange man come walking in. He looked around the store and seeing I was the only costumer he reached out his hand. I instantly recognized  my Keys  and thought I must have dropped them in the parking lot.   Then I suddenly felt like I was punched in the stomach, I remembered. He said " you left your daughter in the car and she was hot and trying to start the car. I rolled the windows down for her, here is your keys"     Oh my god , how could I forget my daughter was in the car! oh my god this man might have just saved my daughters life.

               Before that day,  like so many other parents I would have swore there was no way I could forget my child was in the car.  It happen to me and it happens to other parents every day.  You can think about how you could never forget your child but unless you are using some type of system to ensure this, chances are one day you might find yourself in my shoes or worse.  52% of all vehicle related deaths involving children  are from being forgotten in a vehicle.  In 2013 44 children died from being forgotten in a car.    I think its time instead of pointing fingers and claiming how we are so much better than that , we start thinking of ways to put a end this!

   Some parents are claiming to not leave car seats in the car when a child is not using it.  Most children who are forgotten in cars are under the age of 2 and  many of the parent have claimed that seeing a car seat especially rear facing seats was nothing unusual since they left the seat in the car at all time.

   Some parents are buying small mirrors that hang in the back seat that allow the driver to see the child with the rear view mirror.

 Some parents are using a stuffed animal that rides in the car seat when the child does not. When The child is placed in the seat the stuffed animal goes in the front passenger seat as a reminder  that the baby/child is in the seat

   Some parents are using the no distraction method  since many parents who forgot their child was in the car claimed to have been distracted by either the radio, cell phones, or work related stress. , when the child is with you there is no radio ( number 1 claimed distraction) No  talking on cell phones ( number 2)  .

    I was riding down the road the other day with my mom, when I looked down and seen a Big Orange Light that said Passenger2 Air bag on.

  I thought if my car can tell me when I have a front passenger why cant it tell me when I have a rear passenger?  The sensor in the front seat is designed to detected a certain amount of weight before turning the air bag on.  A sensor similar to this could be installed in all rear seats  when 10+ pounds is detected  a big orange light would show on the instrument panel indicating you have rear passengers. When you turn the ignition off the light would flash and make a couple beeps alerting you that you have back passengers. Maybe even a feature where you can not lock the car doors (with remote) when back passengers are detected unless you open 1 rear door first.  The feature could be disabled with a key switch ( for non-parent owners)  much like some cars allow for passenger air bags.

  We have child safety locks installed to keep kids in our cars why not install something that helps us remember to get them out? 

        Many people will say that's stupid and is not needed but had this feature been installed in my car I wouldn't have forgot about my child sleep in the back seat and how many other children could have been saved ?