Unique reminders could save a child from being left in a hot vehicle, AMR staff say

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - AMR employees are warning parents to remember to check their backseats for children this summer.

According to AMR, 52 children died in 2018 after being left in hot cars; a record year for the United States.

With Mississippi summers being so hot, it’s crucial that parents always check the backseat to make sure their child isn’t left in a hot car because it could cost a child’s life.

Eric Phillips with American Medical Response said it only takes minutes before a car can get too hot for a child.

“You can see as much as a 20 degree change within as little as 10 to 15 minutes. Anything above 104 degrees and an infant specifically is detrimental,” Phillips said.

How does a parent forget a child? Phillips said the most common cause is a parent being out of routine or being extremely busy.

“One parent has to take the kid normally. And then for whatever reason the next day, a different parent has to take the kid for some reason. And they just get out of their normal routine of going and they for some reason, forget that the child’s even back there,” Phillips explained.

To avoid the tragic accident, Phillips said creating reminders to check the back seat could save your child’s life.

“Put a toy in the passenger seat, something that you’re not normally going to see sitting in the passenger seat beside you so it’s going to remind you to get the baby out of the back,” Phillips said.

The more obscure and silly the reminder, the more effective it can be.

“Take your left shoe off and put it in the backseat with a kid when you put the kid in there. As soon as you step out of the vehicle, you’re gonna recognize you don’t have a shoe on and you’re gonna go looking for your shoe in the backseat,” Phillips said.

But reminders aren’t just for parents. Phillips said anyone who has a child in the back seat should take the extra precaution to avoid an accident.

“Everybody gets busy. Everybody’s life is hectic, there will be a change in routine you will do it. That’s why it’s important to make sure you have a good routine and a good habit to begin with that you stick with,” Phillips explained.

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