Tech solution & other tips

New car seat technology is available that will sound an alarm after the driver turns off the car, reminding him or her that a child is in the back seat. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers other suggestions for keeping your precious cargo safe:

Keep a stuffed animal in the child's seat, then move it to the front seat after you strap your child in as a visual reminder.
If your daily routine changes, always make sure your child has arrived at his destination safely.
Make sure daycare providers know to call parents or relatives if the child does not arrive.
Never leave a child alone in a car; use drive-through services and pay at the pump so you won't be tempted to leave the child "just for a moment."
Remember, children overheat four times faster than adults; a child is likely to die when his body temperature reaches 107 degrees, and that can happen in minutes.
Even in 70-degree weather a vehicle can reach life-threatening temperatures quickly; regardless of the outside temperature, the average increase in temperature inside a vehicle is 3.2 degrees per five-minute interval.
If you ever see a child alone in a car, call 911 immediately.
If you see a child is in distress, remove the child from the vehicle; most states have Good Samaritan laws.

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