Kids and Car Safety Spring Newsletter

We get this question regularly. People are confused. Many believe that rear seat reminder technology seen in many cars today (GM, Nissan, Honda, Ford, etc.) is the answer to preventing hot car deaths. But, there are some terrifying limitations to these systems that is critical to understand. In fact, we have already documented a fatality in a vehicle with a rear seat reminder “door logic” system.

What is needed is occupant detection, a system that can actually detect the presence of a living, breathing child or pet alone inside a vehicle. The great news is that this technology exists and is readily available to automakers.

Please check out our comparison chart at the link below to better understand where we currently stand with the hot car legislation that passed last year and the differences between the types of technology available. Children will continue to die until we have occupant detection in all vehicles. LEARN MORE
NEW Hot Car Video PSAS!
Thanks to a generous grant from our friends at State Farm Insurance, Kids and Car Safety has produced 3 new video PSAs to help raise awareness about hot car tragedies and how to prevent them. A special thank you to the incredible talent at Frost Media Group for your help in the making of these powerful videos and to the wonderfully talented children, Karon and Sybi who donated their time! They were quite impressive on set.

Stay tuned for more videos coming this summer on other vehicle safety topics!

View all of our PSA videos and more at our YouTube channel HERE
For more resources to educate on the dangers of hot cars HERE
Child Unknowingly Left in a Hot Car
Child gets into hot car, becomes trapped
What To Do if You See a Child Alone in a Vehicle
Lifesavers National Conference on Highway Safety Priorities in Chicago
This year at Lifesavers, Vayyar joined the crew to demonstrate an example of occupant detection technology to prevent hot car deaths.

The demo vehicle featured a baby doll that breathes like a real infant strapped into a car seat in the back seat. The system detected the presence of the baby in the car and initiated an alert on a big TV screen. Visitors to our booth were very excited about the demonstration and about how this technology is readily available to save precious little lives today!

Kids and Car Safety president and founder, Janette Fennell, spoke on a workshop panel talking about hot car death and injury prevention through technology.

And, of course, we found room to have a little fun too!
Kansas Transportation Safety Conference
Amber and Nancy were excited to exhibit at the annual Transportation Safety conference in Kansas.

The crew also celebrated the NCAA national championship win of the KU Jayhawks (Amber’s alma mater) with their fellow Kansans. Rock chalk Jayhawk!
Hot Car Press Event April 28
Members of Congress, Kids and Car Safety, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a memory science expert, and families affected by hot car deaths came together to urge U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) Secretary Pete Buttigieg to quickly advance the child protection “hot cars” provision in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, Pub. Law 117-58) as quickly as possible.


 
A few media segments from the event:
Hot car deaths: Advocates call for better technology 13 WMAZ (GA)
How technology can prevent child hot car deaths KENS 5 TV (TX)

A special thank you to Dikeisha Whitlock-Pryer (left) and The Cestia family (right) for sharing their stories at the event in honor of their beautiful children pictured below.
Welcome to the team, Elijah!
Elijah Mercer is the Research and Data Manager. He has a passion for social and juvenile justice. He is most passionate about using data analytics & research to drive results across multiple industries and for many stakeholders.

Elijah got his start in research as a research assistant intern for the Investigative Reporting Workshop and working on issues related to the Digital Divide. After undergrad, he spent two years teaching in Baltimore as part of Teach for America. In both positions, he used research and data to drive tangible research and data results for marginalized populations.

Then he transitioned to working for the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud as their research associate where he once again brought his passion for juvenile justice to his work.

Always the crime fighter, Mercer worked for both The New York Police Department and the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office as a crime analyst. He used data to help decrease crime and violence, help attorneys understand how some prosecutorial techniques disproportionately impact communities of color, and assisted in high level criminal investigations.

He holds a degree in Criminology with a minor in Communications Studies from American University in Washington, D.C. He is based out of San Francisco, California.
FROM THE INSIDE OUT: A RECKONING AND REDEMPTION

Kids and Car Safety parent advocate, Eric Stuyvesant, recently published a memoir documenting his family's experience with hot cars.

Stuyvesant's book serves as more than a cautionary tale as it delves into the extensive injuries Michael suffered as a result of being forgotten in a car, Michael's exhaustive rehab and recovery, and Stuyvesant's own battles with grief, guilt, and depression.

Eric is currently speaking to audiences across Texas about the dangers associated with vehicular heatstroke, and in support of his new book.

The book is available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09XSV3M8S. Check it out today! And, thank you to Eric and his wife Michelle for all your hard work and dedication to making this world safer for all children. The Stuyvesant family has been passionately working with Kids and Car Safety for many years.

Please also check out their recent interview and Michael's very first HERE.
Education Materials
The Childproof Your Ride brochure features a variety of vehicle safety topics. The brochure covers dangers children face in and around vehicles and provides practical safety tips on how to keep children safe. Order now
Available in both English and Spanish, the ‘Look Before You Lock’ cards educate parents about the dangers of children being inadvertently left in vehicles or getting in on their own and provide simple safety tips. Order now

The 'Look Before You Lock' window decal can be placed on a vehicle window as a reminder to check the back seat for baby. These go great with the 'Look Before You Lock' safety education card to give to parents of young children. Order now
In the News…

Consumer Reports, Published May 3, 2022
 
Delayed law angers grieving families who lost loved ones 
By Susan Hogan, Rick Yarborough, Steve Jones, Lance Ing, Carlos Olazagasti and Derek Debowski  Published February 21, 2022 
Thank you to all of our amazing, dedicated donors who keep our important work saving children's lives going all year.
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