677 Children Have Died In Hot Cars Since 1998

Have you ever thought how do people leave their kids in cars and forget about them? The truth is we are all human and capable of making mistakes. In fact, since 1998, 677 kids have died in hot cars. Of those, 54 percent were “accidental,” so it is important to realize that this can happen to anyone!

In most cases where people forgot about kids in their cars, they had switched up their normal daily routine. Maybe they drove the child somewhere on a day they normally do not. Switching up our routines, even just slightly, can cause us to forget things. Sometimes, we are so programmed into these routines that our brains switch to “autopilot” and we just go on with business as usual.

It is important to try and prevent these tragedies from happening. The best way to not forget about a child is to get in the habit of always checking the back seat even when you know a child is not there. Another great tip is to put something important in the backseat, such as a briefcase or purse or maybe even a shoe, so that you have to grab it from the backseat before you go into your destination.

Of those 677 deaths, 29 percent were children playing in an unattended vehicle. How can this be? Children can easily trap themselves inside the cabin or a trunk. Because of this, it is always best to keep your vehicle locked and keep all unlocking devices far away from a child’s reach.

Out of the 677 kids killed since 1998, 11 percent were left behind purposefully. You should never leave a child locked inside a hot vehicle, regardless of how quick you will be. A child can have a heat stroke in just minutes!

If your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, etc. suffered harm after being left inside a hot vehicle, our Florida Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help.

Call us today at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free consultation.