NHTSA “Where’s Baby? Look Before You Lock” Campaign Urges Parents to Practice Proper Vehicle Safety

It is not just car accidents on the road that can result in serious injuries or death; other forms of negligence related to motor vehicles can also have a significant impact on the health and safety of its occupants, especially children. Now that it’s summer, heatstroke is a threat, and unfortunately many children suffer injury from heatstroke as the result of being locked in a car. To raise awareness of this issue and to help prevent needless child injuries, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched its “Where’s Baby? Look Before You Lock” campaign.

How Does This Happen?

For many, the idea of leaving a child in a locked car for an extended period of time is impossible to comprehend, but such incidents do occur. When there is a change in routine, a parent or caregiver may forget that their child is in the backseat; a parent or caregiver may decide to run into the grocery store “for a quick errand;” a car may be left unlocked and unsupervised children could lock themselves in; or a parent or caregiver can be distracted and/or inattentive.

If your child is under another person’s care and your child suffers heatstroke as the result of being locked in a vehicle, the skilled child injury attorneys at Kiley Law Group can help you understand your legal rights and options.

What You Can Do

The NHTSA offers the following prevention tips for parents and caregivers to help protect the children in their care:

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• Never let children play in or around an unattended vehicle. Cars are not play areas.
• Never leave a child in a vehicle unattended.
• Never leave infants or children in parked cars, even with the windows open.
• Give yourself visual cues to remind you when a child is in the back seat, i.e. stuffed teddy bear in the back seat when there is no child, or stuffed teddy bear in the front seat when there is a child in the back.
• Always check the vehicle, front and back, before locking.

How a Massachusetts Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

Cars can be very dangerous for children, whether they are locked inside or they are in danger of not being seen around the vehicle when it is moved. If your child has suffered serious injury as the result of another’s negligence with regard to vehicle safety, the experienced Boston personal injury lawyers at Kiley Law Group can help. Call us today for a free consultation at (888) 208-1695.