No! It’s quite scary for most parents to think about, but hundreds of children die every year in cars that aren’t even moving and in non traffic accident related incidents. The causes of these deaths include heat stroke, strangulation by electric windows and because they accidentally set the car in motion. Research has shown that within only a few minutes, the temperature in a car on a hot summer’s day can skyrocket and just a few minutes in a parked, unventilated car can be fatal for children.
An alternative to leaving your child alone in the car is to phone ahead and arrange with business owners that items you need to drop or collect are fetched or brought to your car. Use your credit or debit card to pay for petrol instead of going into the office and make sure that when you leave the car, you take every child with you. If you absolutely have to be out of the car and can’t take your children with you, then you need to make sure that you arrange a baby sitter or another adult to look after them while you’re out.
Not all fatalities occur because of heatstroke though. There are other car safety tips you need to be aware of when you have children. First, make sure that your car is always locked, even when it’s in your driveway or garage and keep your keys well out of children’s reach. Don’t ever let your children play in or around your car, and make sure your child never stands behind cars – drivers often can’t see children behind a car. Installing a reversing detection device is a good idea too.
