Safety of children in cars is an important aspect of daily commuting that motorists must never ignore. According to traffic authorities, the incidents of children being left alone in cars have increased significantly in the UAE. This is a serious child safety concern as leaving children alone in cars can lead to dangerous situations. Children can be suffocated to death due to accumulation of heat inside a car, which is why motorists must avoid negligence at all costs with regards to the safety of their children.
While leaving children locked inside the cars for a few minutes does not look unsafe, motorists must know that this is a dangerous practice, which can have serious repercussions. Motorists should be more careful during the summer season as the extremely hot weather conditions in the UAE can increase the risk of deaths if children are left alone in cars. A child can develop difficulty in breathing due to suffocation and accumulation of heat inside a car, which can be seriously dangerous.
Authorities in the UAE have observed a surge in incidents where children were left alone inside the cars. In some of these incidents, children were left in cars on purpose while in other incidents, parents forgot their children in cars while they were sleeping.
Why Leaving a Child Alone in a Car is Dangerous
Heatstroke is the biggest risk associated with leaving children alone in cars. The accumulation of heat inside a car can damage the brain and other body organs, which can even lead to death. It takes only a few minutes for the temperature inside a car to rise and become dangerously uncomfortable for children.
According to an estimate, the temperature inside a locked car can increase 20 degrees Fahrenheit in just 10 minutes and 40 degrees Fahrenheit in one hour. Heat can accumulate quickly in a car even if the temperature outside the car is not too high. Additionally, the body of a child heats up faster than normal when trapped inside a car and the risk of death becomes imminent if the body of the child heats up to 107 degrees Fahrenheit. The intense heat poses the biggest threat to the safety of children locked inside a car.
Never leave your children alone in the vehicle.#DubaiPolice#YourSecurityOurHappiness#SmartSecureTogether pic.twitter.com/AE947hpmyq
— Dubai Policeشرطة دبي (@DubaiPoliceHQ) July 25, 2019
Safety Tips to Follow when Traveling with Children
Leaving children alone in cars can have fatal consequences as mentioned previously. To avoid such situations, motorists must follow the safety practices to ensure the protection of their children. In some recent incidents recorded in the UAE, motorists forgot their children in cars as the children were sleeping in the back seat. This can happen to anyone due to busy working schedules, lack of sleep, occupied mind and several other factors, however, it must be avoided as it can result in dangerous incidents involving children.
The back seat is the safest place for children to sit.#DubaiPolice#YourSecurityOurHappiness#SmartSecureTogether pic.twitter.com/OLc0xIJ3L6
— Dubai Policeشرطة دبي (@DubaiPoliceHQ) July 24, 2019
To overcome this problem, it can be useful for motorists to leave something important near their child’s seat so that they remember taking their children along when leaving the car. It can be their mobile phone, gym bag, briefcase, purse or any other important thing that they can leave near the child’s seat. Parents must also not allow their children to play inside their cars to avoid an unexpected situation.
What Should Motorists Do if they See a Child Trapped Inside a Car
Motorists must follow some important guidelines if they see a child locked inside a car. The timely response can save a child’s life who has been accidentally or on purpose left alone inside the car. Given below are the practices that should be followed by motorists if they find a child locked inside a car.
- Call the Police
- Call the emergency services.
- Cover the car to avoid direct exposure to sunlight. This practice can help reduce the intensity of heat inside the car.
- If the emergency services don’t reach on time, try to break the glass from the side that is farthest to the child.
- Break the glass with a pointed object using minimum force so that the debris doesn’t hit the child.
Bottom-line
Safety of children must be taken seriously and any negligence in this regard should be avoided at all costs. Children cannot withstand the suffocation caused by heat and humidity in a locked car which can lead to their death. Motorists should be aware of safety of their children and follow the safety practices while traveling with children. Children can suffer badly if they are left alone inside cars and only a careful approach from parents can save their children from such dangerous situations.
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