4 Tips to Help Remind You To Not Leave Your Child In A Hot Car

It's that time of year again! Just to preface, it is never okay to forget your child in the car, no matter what the weather is like, however, somehow in the summer months, people are more likely to forget and children are at greater risk in the hot temperatures.

Triple digits are rising in the borderland, and children dying in hot cars is also on the rise. According to TODAY: in 2020, 25 children lost their lives in hot cars. Two children have died so far in 2021, and nearly 1,000 children have died of vehicular heatstroke since 1990.

It may seem silly that you ask yourself: "how can someone forget their child in a car?", I know because I've asked this myself. But it happens, and we shouldn't judge. Lots of times, the hustle and bustle of life gets in the way and in a rush, people forget their children in cars. Here are four tips to help you out!

• Place an object in your back seat.
  Placing something in the back seat is such a big help. A purse, a cellphone or even a shoe, leaving something in the back seat will require parents/caregivers to open that back door once the car is parked.

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• Keep a large stuffed animal in the car seat. Leaving a stuffed animal in the front seat with you will serve as a reminder that there is a child in the car with you! Sometimes when the car gets too quiet, from a child falling asleep, that when you do arrive at your destination you forget about the child in the back! Glancing at that stuffed animal will be a helpful reminder.
• Make it routine to open the back door of your car every time you get out. This might sound tedious, especially if there is no one riding with you, but on the off chance that there is a child in the back, this practice is a huge lifesaver.

• Have a plan with childcare provider. This is perfect for those who leave their child in the care of someone else! Sometimes children are left in cars due to the fact that the person watching them isn't familiar with their routine! If your child does not show up to daycare or school without prior notice, someone should call to locate child.

And as always, if you do see an unattended child in a car- call 911!