With higher temps still on the radar, so is the risk of young children or pets being left in a hot car. It’s an extremely sad – and avoidable – accident, which is why we’ve put together a list of 5 tips for drivers to follow, so that every family has a safe and fun fall season.
- Always check the backseat. This one may seem obvious, but one of the simplest ways to ensure your child or pet stays safe this fall is to make checking your car’s backseat a habit. Even if you’re 100 percent sure that you’re alone in the car, always check the backseat just in case.
- Keep a stuffed animal in the front seat. One trick that experts recommend is for you to keep a stuffed animal in the car’s front seat every time a child is riding in the back. The furry friend will act as a reminder that your child is still in the backseat.
- Talk to your daycare provider. A lot of hot car accidents happen due to an interrupted morning schedule, with parents thinking they dropped off their child at daycare when in fact they did not. One tip is to set up a system with your daycare provider that allows them to contact you after a certain time if the child has not shown up in the morning.
- Keep your left shoe in the back. Another tip experts recommend is to keep something essential – like your left shoe – in the car’s backseat, so you always have to look in the back to retrieve the item.
- Always keep your doors locked. In some instances, hot car accidents happened because a child has crawled into a parked car at the family’s home and got trapped. To avoid this, it is recommended that you always keep your car doors locked, even if it’s in the garage, which should prevent curious kids from getting into it.
