NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Two children have died in hot vehicles this week in Tennessee, now the Kids and Car Safety organization is warning parents and caregivers to be vigilant.
"That is the biggest misconception that a parent could make, that they think that this could never happen to them. It's also the worst mistake a parent could make is thinking that it could never happen to them," said Chloe Burke with Kids and Car Safety.
In Cheatham County, investigators believe a three-year-old boy left the house and was able to get inside a broken-down van and unable to get back out. In Cordova, outside of Memphis, a six-year-old girl was left on a daycare bus.
Burke said in 54% of hot car deaths, children are left inside of a vehicle.
"Most of the those instances really are around daycare drop off, a detour on the way to work, there's stress and fatigue of the parent, a change in routine," she explained.
Burke said another 25% happen when children are able to get inside of a car.
"Of those, about 70% are when the children are male and aged one through four."
What can parents and caregivers do to prevent this from happening to them and their children? Burke says to always do a double check of your vehicle before leaving. That means the backseat, the trunk, the floor boards. You can also have a visual cue there's a child with you, by placing a stuffed animal on your lap or passenger seat.
"I know that there's a heat advisory in Tennessee, after ten minutes on an 80 degree day, the internal temp of that car is going to be 100 degrees. Cars have the greenhouse effect, there's really really no safe amount of time that a child could be left unattended in a vehicle."
Burke also urges parents to lock the house and car doors and keep keys and key fobs away from young children. The organization is pushing for sensors that would sound an alarm if a child or pet was left behind in a vehicle.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Megan.Scarano@NewsChannel5.com
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