Hot Car Act

[Colleen27]

I don't see how it can happen. It never even came close to happening to me and I know I have much more going on than most people. I'm not sure a good parent would forget and leave their child behind. Thankfully it doesn't happen often but it's something that should never happen.

"Good" parenting has little to do with it. The Washington Post had an excellent, though longish, piece on this that included the neuroscience of our brain's reliance on routine and how things can so easily go catastrophically wrong. If you want to take the time to understand a bit better, here's the link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/life...e0fe3a-f580-11e3-a3a5-42be35962a52_story.html

I had my own experience with this. Not in the car, but at home. My brother died unexpectedly about 2 weeks ago, and I had to head out early last Monday to meet my mother at the funeral home because she didn't feel capable of making decisions about final arrangements on her own. Older DD is still in school. DS is working his first full-time job, which he started just a few weeks ago after about six weeks between finishing school and finding something. They got up and moving as usual. But it was younger DD's first day of summer vacation. She wasn't "supposed" to be there, relative to our normal routines, and I wasn't "supposed" to have to wake her for an early-morning errand because usually she'd just stay home with one of the teens. And as I was loading the car, my mind racing through the rather daunting day ahead, I genuinely forgot that she was sleeping upstairs. I caught my error because feeding her kittens, in her bedroom, is part of my morning routine, not because any "good parent" instinct saved me. Maybe it would have if I'd gotten as far as stopping at the corner store for coffee without her asking for a cinnamon roll. Maybe not. But it was a real lesson in how that sort of "perfect storm" can get the best of a person's conscious mind.

IMO, it is worth it to save the lives of children. As of next year, another safety feature, backup cameras, will be mandatory in all new cars, which came about after a number of small children were run over and accidentally killed in driveways.

The idea behind the back seat alert system is a good one, however, it seems to me it would make more sense to have it tied to the child car seat rather than the car itself. Would there be a shutoff switch to deactivate it for people who don't have young children? What about people with an older child/teen or adult passenger in the back who might wait in the car while the driver gets out? What if you put items-- a package, groceries, a backpack full of books, etc. on the backseat- is the alarm going to go off every time you open the door? What if you have a baby and you get out of the car for a few minutes to pump gas within sight of your child?

If you have something on the back seat, I'd imagine the alarm would chime and you could just ignore it, just like if I leave my headlights on for a minute to see the door lock at night or the keys in the ignition so DD15 can listen to the radio while I pump gas. It is just a "hey, did you forget?" noise, not something intrusive.

Maybe it's more prevalent now because more and more people are being expected to work excessive hours and/or be on call for extended periods of time in order to keep their jobs?

The theory I've read over and over is the rear seat/rear facing safety rules... It is easier to forget a kid you can't see, and kids are more likely to fall asleep if they can't see and interact with you. So while keeping kids rear-facing longer protects against one relatively common danger, it has increased the incidence of this still-rare tragedy.

 

[PollyannaMom]

...
The theory I've read over and over is the rear seat/rear facing safety rules... It is easier to forget a kid you can't see, and kids are more likely to fall asleep if they can't see and interact with you. So while keeping kids rear-facing longer protects against one relatively common danger, it has increased the incidence of this still-rare tragedy.

I've noticed this in a lot of "improvements" (whether for safety, convenience, whatever). In fixing one problem, we create another.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Where do we draw the line on passing laws so people don't harm themselves or others. How difficult is it to think and remember your child in the back seat. Or how to properly take medicine and so forth. What about the people who don't want to pay to remind a parent that not long ago their child was put in the back seat.

And how difficult is it to install the same sensors in the back seat as the front? And how difficult is it to pay $40,100 for a car vs $40,000 to save a few kids a year?

 

[luvsJack]

That's right. And accidents happen. I guess even forgetting a child as crazy as that sounds. But for how many children a year are put into a back seat and successfully retrieved the number is not even a blip on the radar. So where does it stop? Steel cages to help people cross the street? Pools only allowed 2 inches of water? No more hiking lest a wild animal attack? Laws and fines for being out in a lightning storm? How about no more children in the ocean. It goes on and on and on. The least of which is thinking it's acceptable that a parent could forget their child. You can see how a parent could forget, I can't.

All of your examples are ridiculous using technology that is already available is not.

Should we have not added seat belts? Airbags? Car seats? What number is the magic number that made these things necessary?

It's not acceptable but it is human.

 

[Hikergirl]

I would never forget my kids in the car because I've been a SAHM since they were born and it was always part of my routine to have a child with me. However I think if my dh had to drop off our kids on the way to work he could forget. I know how his mind works, and he does go into autopilot mode. There are morons out there who leave their kids in the car on purpose (just read a story about a young mother who left 2 toddlers in a car overnight to hang out with friends, they both died), but most of the stories about people forgetting are people who have a change in routine. Their spouse is usually the one who brings the baby, and then one day they have to but they are on autopilot and just end up going to work without even thinking about it.

All cars ding to let you know you left your headlights on, or a door open and nobody cares. Why would anyone "fight" against a ding to remind you to look in the back seat for your child?
FTR, I am all about personal responsibility but this seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

[DopeyDame]

For all those who swear it could never ever happen to you, I beg BEG you to read this article.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/life...2be35962a52_story.html?utm_term=.36d0ac70b513

A little bit of awareness and humbleness could save lives.

 

[gemini2727]

Did you read any articles on the subject? Or are they too long.

This is what is so aggravating about this thread. The insistence that it "could never happen" to some posters, who seem to refuse to educate themselves about how it COULD happen to anyone, because we are human and the brain isn't perfect.

 

[mrodgers]

So in your world you couldn't accidentally lock the door when getting out of the car?

Correct, in my world. I'd have to go back 15 years to a time when it was possible for one of my cars to be accidentally locked and the door shut. All cars I've owned since then either the lock popped back open if you tried to lock it manually or the locks pop back open when you shut the door unless holding the door handle when you shut it (which I never do as I always use the remote to lock the door.)

 

[sam_gordon]

Correct, in my world. I'd have to go back 15 years to a time when it was possible for one of my cars to be accidentally locked and the door shut. All cars I've owned since then either the lock popped back open if you tried to lock it manually or the locks pop back open when you shut the door unless holding the door handle when you shut it (which I never do as I always use the remote to lock the door.)

Neither my 2006, 2007, or 2013 vehicles require you to hold the handle up if you lock the door using the interior buttons.

 

[cabanafrau]

This is what is so aggravating about this thread. The insistence that it "could never happen" to some posters, who seem to refuse to educate themselves about how it COULD happen to anyone, because we are human and the brain isn't perfect.

Hopefully they get their lesson about life being the great leveler in a way that doesn't require their kids to pay the price. Everyone has a vulnerability, an unguarded moment. It's ignorant and irrational to think otherwise. It may not be a hot car for them, for me, for you, but EVERYONE has that point in life where we get taken down when we least expect it. Most prudent people try to minimize those as best we can, particularly when it comes to our kids.

 

[MamaBelle4]

I always thought it could never happen to me, and it didn't, not really.

About a week after my youngest was born, I had to take my children to their dance class. I don't need to tell any mother here how exhausted, drained and just plain out of it I was.

I pulled into the parking class and opened the door. Unbuckled my 2 year old and had my 4 and 6 year old climb out from the back and closed the door, just like I had a thousand times. The SECOND that door closed I thought, "OH (non discuss friendly curse word), EM!" and opened the door and grabbed her in her car seat. I hadn't even taken a step from the vehicle.

But I was shaken. I always considered myself one of those moms who would never forget a child, but I nearly did because I was so exhausted and was just functioning on autopilot. I, frankly, was so scared and paranoid for several months after. Even when I left the house by myself, I would call my husband to make sure he had all 4 kids. I know it sounds crazy, but I had never believed I could do it, now I realize how easily a disruption in your routine and utter exhaustion can break you down and cause you to make a terrible mistake.

 

[declansdad]

Correct, in my world. I'd have to go back 15 years to a time when it was possible for one of my cars to be accidentally locked and the door shut. All cars I've owned since then either the lock popped back open if you tried to lock it manually or the locks pop back open when you shut the door unless holding the door handle when you shut it (which I never do as I always use the remote to lock the door.)

I have never owned nor driven a car that did that.

 

[pryncess527]

Hmm, so modern car design makes it harder for you to lock your keys in your car. I've experienced that too -- I used to do it a lot, but the last 2 cars I've owned made it practically impossible.

So doesn't it stand to reason that improving modern car design to also make it harder to forget your child is a reasonable step of progress? I really don't see why this creates any controversy at all. And I'm a frickin Libertarian, so I totally get hating "Big Govt" and unneeded regulation. But this saves the lives of innocent children who made no decision to be forgotten, and it shouldn't matter if I think "no one" should ever do this -- they do, and we can save those innocent children's lives.

As for allegations that some people do this on purpose, well, improving car design would likely make it much easier to identify those people and get convictions. That alone would be worth it to me.

 

[3 MEN AND A BOAT]

I'll pay more $$$ for a car that doesn't ding at me for not wearing my seatbelt,
the entirety of the ride
ding, ding, ding, ding
it'll stop for a while then
ding, ding, ding, ding
stop for a while again then
ding, ding, ding, ding
That's annoying as,
well....

 

[pryncess527]

I'll pay more $$$ for a car that doesn't ding at me for not wearing my seatbelt,
the entirety of the ride
ding, ding, ding, ding
it'll stop for a while then
ding, ding, ding, ding
stop for a while again then
ding, ding, ding, ding
That's annoying as,
well....

That can be disabled in most cars, try googling disable seatbelt warning & the make/model/year of your car and you might find instructions. The method varies, but there is almost always a way.

 

[declansdad]

That can be disabled in most cars, try googling disable seatbelt warning & the make/model/year of your car and you might find instructions. The method varies, but there is almost always a way.

Just wear your seatbelt and it won't be a problem.

 

[BLAZEY]

I think it can happen to anyone even good caring parents. Kids fall asleep in the car all the time. I put my purse in the back seat with DD when she was a baby and still do now that she's 8. I required that Go into the back seat to retrieve it. I think a warning sensor would be a great thing. In the early 1980's cars had roll down windows and we were in booster seats at younger ages. Sure my mum left us in the car for a few minutes but at 3 I could undo my seatbelt and roll down the window if it got to warm. Kids can't do that now as they are 5 point harnesses designed not to be undone by toddlers and cars have power windows that require the car to be on to put them down.

 

[brooke789]

But I was shaken. I always considered myself one of those moms who would never forget a child, but I nearly did because I was so exhausted and was just functioning on autopilot. I, frankly, was so scared and paranoid for several months after. Even when I left the house by myself, I would call my husband to make sure he had all 4 kids. I know it sounds crazy, but I had never believed I could do it, now I realize how easily a disruption in your routine and utter exhaustion can break you down and cause you to make a terrible mistake.

If my husband ever drops off our youngest at daycare (it's the normal routine for me) I text him asking him a question specific to drop off that morning. If I don't get an answer back I walk out to the car (we work in the same building) and check!

As for me, I've never thought it impossible to forget a child. For example, with my youngest I get to his daycare 3-4 minutes before they open and I have an alarm on my phone for 1 minute before the door will unlock. When the alarm goes off we get out and head up to the door. If I'm ever driving down the road and that 1 minute alarm goes off I have a reminder to check why I'm not at daycare! I'd rather be safe than sorry!

I do wonder how this "ding" would work in the backseat with the weight of carseats. It seems to be that it would be dinging every single time the car is turned off just from the weight of the seats.

 

[Planogirl]

I agree with the majority that say that this tragedy could happen to anyone. However let's say that those who forget are horribly neglectful (they're not). I still don't see why a simple alert wouldn't be a good thing to help snap someone back to reality.

 

[DJP1201]

If this only helps one person, it would be better than none. My wife and I text each other every morning after we drop off kids. If we don't receive a text we call each other. We also had a system set up with daycare providers. If we didn't call kids in as sick, and we weren't there by a certain time they were to call us. My work schedule takes me to many different places, so it was sometimes confusing. I explained that to the daycare providers and I would keep telling them every six months or so. I would also bring all of my work stuff into whatever location I was at, and make a deliberate second trip for my lunch just to make sure.