Deaths of Children Left in Hot Cars May be on the Rise in Kansas and Missouri

As the temperatures rise in Kansas City we think of more time spent outside, vacations and leisurely days.  What we don't often think about is our children and the dangers of hot cars.  In March, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a recommendation that all children under the age of two or under 30 pounds be in rear-facing car seats.  Sounds like great advice, but one of the unintential outcomes of the rear-facing car seat is that parents may forget their child is in the car. 

We've all heard the news stories about grief-stricken parents who claim they forgot about their own child in the car, but how true can it be?  Well, from 1998-2010, there were about 500 deaths of children due to heatstroke in the United States, 15 in Missouri and 8 in Kansas.  In these cases over half of the parents stated the accident occurred because they forgot about the child in the car.  Of these 500 children, 90% were 3-years old or younger, and 75% were 2-years old or younger. 

If you have read our blogs, you know we frequently talk about distracted driving, but really, this is no different.  Experts agree that the multitasking world we live in is difficult and that the human mind tends to focus on what it is doing at the moment. 

Have you ever put something on top of your car for just moment as you're getting in, only to remember it when it comes tumbling down?  It sounds crazy to compare that to a child in the car, but unforunately the accident statistics back up our ability to forget a child is in the car. 

So what can our Kansas City parents do?  Here is a set of 10 helpful ways to remember your child is in the car:

1. Set an alert either on your work computer or your smart phone asking if your child is in the car.
2. Put a reminder sticker on the dashboard or on the driver's window as a reminder.
3. Place a sticker on the door to your workplace and your home door as a reminder
4. Place a large stuffed animal in the car seat when it is unoccupied and move the animal to the front seat when the car seat is occupied.
5. Place the diaper bag in the front seat when a child is in the car
6. Put your purse, briefcase, whatever you are taking with you for the day in the back seat when you have a child in the car.
7. Communicate with your childcare provider and have them contact you if your child doesn't arrive at the intended time.
8. Get an alarm for your car seat.
9. Spread the word.  Most parents simply don't thing this can happen to them and don't take the appropriate precautions.
10. Look in cars!  When you see a car seat in a car, look to make sure it isn't occupied.

The lawyers at Kansas City Child Injury Lawyers hope that all Kansas City parents will take these suggestions to protect and prevent child injuries and child deaths due to heatstroke.  Let's keep our kids safe!

If you have a child who has suffered a serious injury in an accident in Kansas or Missouri, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. Call our experienced Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys. With over 15 years of experience in Child Injury Accidents, we may be able to help your family get through this difficult time.

Contact Kansas City Accident Injury Attorneys to set up a free consultation to discuss your personal injury claim. You can get started today by downloading our free book, "10 Essential Steps to Protecting Your Injury Claim". We want you to know your rights.