2:54
The No. 1 tip for any parent or caregiver is to never leave a child in a car, even if it's for a short period of time. \"Rolling windows down or parking in the shade does little to change the interior temperature of the vehicle,\" the NHTSA states.
Rollins calls this important step the \"look before you lock\" reminder.
\"We want people to make it a habit, any which way you have to do it, to make it a habit of opening that back door and checking the back seat every single time you leave your vehicle,\" Rollins said.
\"If a child does go missing, check the inside floorboard and trunk of all vehicles in the area immediately, even if they're locked,\" she continued.
\"We want to keep our cars locked 100% of the time, even if you don't have kids,\" Rollins said. \"Keep your keys and your remote openers to your vehicle out of reach of children at all times so that they can't gain access if they are locked.\"
\"If your child goes to day care or a family member watches them during the day, any kind of child care, you want to make the policy with them, that they will call you immediately if your child doesn't show up as scheduled,\" Rollins said.
\"Any time that you put the baby in the backseat, put something in the backseat on the floorboard right in front of them that you can't start your day without,\" Rollins said, adding that a laptop might work for a parent who needs to work with a computer.
\"Keep some type of stuffed animal, a big bright stuffed animal or reminder item in your car. So for me, I've got this big giant lion stuffed animal. You can't miss it. I mean, it's obnoxious and that stuffed animal lives in the car seat. And then anytime I put my son in the car seat, that stuffed animal comes up to the front seat with me as a visual reminder that he is with me.\"
Both the NHTSA and Rollins also recommend teaching children about the hazards of being in a car and how a car should not be considered a play area.
\"We talk to our kids about how it's never safe to get into a vehicle without a grown-up,\" Rollins said.
Additionally, Rollins said parents can take further steps to safeguard their homes and vehicles.
\"A lot of times, what happens in these cases is mom and dad think the toddler is napping. The toddler wakes up from the nap and sneaks outside and gets in the car, and then they can't get back out, and before anybody realizes it, it's too late,\" Rollins said.
\"So, you can get those childproofing doorknob covers. Also, you could buy these little stick-on-door alarms that you can put on the door [leading to the] outside of your home and those will alert you with a visual and audio alert that a door has been opened,\" she added.
If a child is found in distress or is spotted inside a vehicle unattended, the NHTSA reminds everyone to immediately dial 911. A child in a hot car should be removed from the vehicle as soon as possible and rapidly cooled, according to the NHTSA.
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