The idea of losing your child in a car accident is likely one of the worst things you can imagine. Imagine how you would feel if you lost your child due to heatstroke after leaving them in the vehicle? The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants us to spread the word that this scenario is all too common – but there are steps you can take to avoid becoming a statistic.
Keep reading to get the facts, and then contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 to request a free legal consultation if you have been injured or lost a loved one in a car accident.
The Look Before You Lock Campaign
The NHTSA designated May 1st as National Heatstroke Prevention Day, but we are continuing the message. They created a campaign they call “Where’s Baby? Look Before You Lock.” This three-million-dollar campaign was created to remind drivers that they should never leave their child alone in a car and that they should lock their cars when they are parked to ensure that a child does not get into their unlocked vehicle.
The campaign also pointed to the importance of making sure that parents and caregivers always look in the backseat before they lock the door to ensure that they do not accidentally leave their child in the car. Remember that children are very small, and their bodies heat up much faster than adults. As a result, they can become victims of heatstroke much more quickly than many people realize.
Heatstroke Can Happen in Situations You Would Never Think Were Dangerous
One of the reasons to start this campaign is because many people assume that certain situations are safe and, in fact, they are very dangerous. For example, there have been fatal cases of heatstroke in a vehicle that was parked in the shade when it was only 57 degrees outside, and the windows were cracked.
Know that since 1998 almost 1000 children have lost their lives in these types of accidents, and about 38 children die each year. In 2020, a year in which many people were home much more often than usual, 24 children still died in hot cars.
Tips to Remember to Look
The program suggests making it a habit to look in the backseat every time you leave your vehicle, whether your child is there or not. It suggests getting a stuffed animal or toy that you keep in the front with you as a reminder, or placing your phone in the backseat, so you are much more likely to check the backseat when getting out of the car.
If you have legal questions about a car accident or other personal injury issue, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
