Tips to keep small children safe
Published 7:58 pm Wednesday, July 19, 2017
The LaGrange Police Department posted an important reminder on its Facebook page on Wednesday about the dangers of leaving a child in a hot car.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 19 children have died so far this year in the United States after being left in hot cars. The department quoted the NHTSA in saying that two children die per week on average in hot vehicles during the summer months.
To many, the reminder probably seemed pointless. After all, how could any parent accidentally leave their child in a car unsupervised, especially when the temperature outside is so high?
Unfortunately, it does happen — a lot more than it should.
According to the NHTSA, 39 children died of heatstroke in 2016 after being left in hot cars.
The LaGrange Police Department recommends these tips to anyone with small children:
— Never leave a child alone in a car, not even for a minute.
— Make it a habit to check the back seat when you lock your car.
— Create reminders for yourself. The National Safety Council recommends leaving something in the back seat with the child that you always take with you, such as a mobile phone, a purse or even your left shoe.
— If you see a child alone in a car, call 911.