The leaders of six state agencies
and three partner organizations are calling for parents and
caregivers of children to be more aware of the dangers
associated with leaving kids unattended in vehicles. In the
shadow of the Gold Dome last week, officials held a news
conference to express their concerns and demonstrate how fast
temperatures can rise inside a closed vehicle, especially in the
spring and summer, and especially in Georgia.
"We are here
today to save lives as leaving children unattended in vehicles
has become the leading cause of non-traffic vehicular deaths in
the nation," said Bobby Cagle, commissioner of Bright from the
Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. "We're
told that more than half of all vehicle-related heatstroke
deaths in children are caused by a child accidentally being left
in a car and more than 30 percent are from a child getting into
a hot car on their own."
One of the
speakers at last week's news conference was Jenny Stanley, a
parent who lost her 6-year-old daughter, Sydney, in August 2010
when the child became trapped inside the family's car while
parked in their garage.
"I had always
heard the term 'died of a broken heart' but I thought it was
just a saying. I now know that it is an actual physical pain and
I felt like dying," said Stanley.
Cagle said one
way to remember the warnings is with the word ACT: Avoid
heatstroke; Create reminders; Take action.
In an effort to
prevent such tragedies, officials urged all parents and
caregivers to remember three things:
- NEVER leave a child in a vehicle unattended
- ALWAYS lock your car and put the keys out of reach --
even at home
- ALWAYS call 911 if you see a child left in a vehicle
"It is never safe
to leave children alone in cars, no matter what the temperature,
not even for a minute," said Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D.,
commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health.
"Children's body temperatures warm at a rate three to five times
faster than adults putting them at a much higher risk for heat
related illness. The bottom line is never leave a child alone in
a car. Period."
Harris Blackwood,
director of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, agreed.
"A warm Georgia
day can turn a car interior into a deadly place in minutes,"
said Blackwood. "We ask all Georgia parents to 'Look Before You
Lock' anytime children are present."
Col. Mark W.
McDonough, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety,
reminded drivers to make it a regular practice to check the back
seat and back floor area for children and animals each time they
exit their vehicle, and if they come across a child left in
unattended vehicle, do not hesitate to contact 911.
"Do not leave
children and animals unattended," said McDonough. "Teach
children that a car or truck is not a play area and be sure to
lock your vehicle."
Agencies participating in the news conference included the
Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning; Georgia
Department of Public Health; Georgia Department of Human
Services; Georgia Department of Public Safety; Georgia State
Patrol; Governor's Office of Highway Safety; and the Governor's
Office for Children and Families. Supporting partners included
Safe Kids Georgia, Emory Center for Injury Control and the
Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Partnering with Safe Kids Worldwide, the agencies also presented
a webinar for child care providers, caregivers and parents.
