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Blog: I Love KidsPosted by: Lorrie Walker at Sep 21, 2011 12:00 AM CDT Keywords: Education | Send This | Article Link | Comments(1)
This is National Child Passenger Safety Week and I am always looking for ways to get the word out about protecting children in and around cars. This year I am really focused on children who die not in car crashes but somewhere in or near cars. They are the little ones who find their way into an unlocked car, get forgotten in a car after the driver arrives at the destination or who get backed over in their driveways as they play behind a car of a driver who just doesn’t see them. As the training manager and technical advisor for Safe Kids USA's Buckle Up program I devote a lot of time to working on these issues. I work with diverse people all over the country to raise awareness about kids in and around cars. The car doesn’t have to be in motion for kids to be at risk and that is why I want drivers to pay attention to the hazards. Many people ask, and I used to be one of them, how you could forget your child in a car. If you have ever left a pot of food cooking on the stove or forgotten to shift laundry to the dryer at night when you became preoccupied with TV or someone’s homework, you could be at risk to do this too. It happens to good, loving and doting parents who are tired, hormonally challenged or just plain distracted. It often happens when the daily routine changes for whatever reason. During this Child Passenger Safety Week (September 18-24) I want to remind parents to place their cell phone, employee ID badge, briefcase or purse in the back seat so they remember to open the back door of the car before locking up for the day. Drivers need to keep their car doors and trunks locked even at home so children can’t use empty cars as playgrounds. I used to know a woman who would leave her trunk open so her husband could carry the heavy case of water into the house when he came home from work. She has stopped doing that since she became aware that a child could become trapped in the trunk. I have gotten into the habit of walking completely around my car before getting in and starting the motor. That way I can see if there is a child, an animal, a bike, golf clubs or toys behind the back wheels. It’s a simple habit to learn and it adds nothing to the cost of your car. I try to tell people who don’t have kids that this affects them too so that they'll remember to walk around their cars before entering and keep all doors and trunks locked. More About Child Passenger Safety
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