5 Ways to Help Children Escape When Left in a Car

Children forgotten in the car is a dangerous situation where a child is accidentally left alone inside a car, usually due to adult negligence.

According to statistics from the Kids and Car Safety organization, on average each year in the US, about 37 children die due to being left in cars. In Vietnam, this situation also occurs quite often, causing heartbreaking consequences.

When a child is neglected, it can seriously affect the child's health, life and psychology. The main cause is due to carelessness and irresponsibility of adults, such as stress, fatigue, use of stimulants, insufficient knowledge, awareness and changes in daily living habits.

To help children escape danger on their own when forgotten, parents and teachers need to equip children with necessary escape skills, such as honking the horn, turning on the lights, and unlocking the car from the inside. In addition, children can also practice using an emergency hammer and calling for rescue using emergency numbers.

Let's learn more about 5 How to help children escape when left in a car check out the next post!

The Danger of Leaving a Child in a Car

When left in a car, children can face health and life risks and cause serious psychological damage.

Children, especially children under 4 years old, are the most vulnerable when trapped in a car. Children's bodies have a poorer ability to regulate heat than adults, making them susceptible to heat stroke, dehydration, and life-threatening conditions after just a short time trapped in a car.

In addition, young children do not have enough awareness and skills to escape on their own, causing risks and serious impacts on their health and safety.

According to research by Stanford University, the temperature inside a car parked in the sun can increase from 30-50°C in just 15-30 minutes, even when the outside temperature is only about 22°C.

This means that even on days that are not too hot, children are still at risk of death from heat stroke if left in the car.

Besides the physical risks, being left in a car also causes serious psychological damage to children. Children may experience problems such as anxiety, panic attacks, loss of trust in adults and fear of traveling in cars. These injuries can last into adulthood, affecting the child's quality of life and mental health.

Main Causes of Leaving Children in the Car

There are many reasons leading to forgetting children in the car, but most of them stem from carelessness and irresponsibility of adults. Life pressure, stimulant use or poor awareness cause many parents and caregivers to let their guard down and forget to check the car when leaving.

Besides, changes in habits and unusual schedules also increase the risk of forgetting children in the car.

According to statistics from the Kids and Cars Safety organization, 54% of cases of child neglect are due to parents or caregivers forgetting, 26% are due to children climbing into the car themselves and getting stuck, 18% are due to adults intentionally leaving them behind. children in the car.

Some common causes of child neglect include:

• Stress and fatigue: Work pressure and fatigue after a stressful day at work cause parents to lose focus and forget their children in the car.
• Substance abuse: The use of alcohol and drugs reduces adults' cognitive abilities and memory, leading to neglect of children.
• Lack of knowledge and awareness: Many parents are not fully aware of the dangers of leaving children alone in the car, especially on hot days.
• Change in habits: When there are changes in daily activities, such as parents changing work shifts or taking children to daycare instead of sending them to grandparents, adults can easily let down their guard and forget their children in the car.

Skills to Help Escape When a Child is Forgotten in a Car

Skills that need to be equipped for children left behind in cars include: Honking the car horn, pressing emergency lights, finding the unlock button and using an emergency hammer.

1. Honk the car horn

Most cars today can honk even when the engine is turned off and the key is removed. This is because the car horn is directly connected to the battery, capable of providing electricity for the horn to operate continuously for many hours.

Therefore, parents and teachers need to:

• Show children where the car horn is and how to honk it.
• Instruct children to honk continuously to attract the attention of people around them if they are accidentally left in the car.

This is a simple, low-effort method that most children can do with prior guidance.

2. Turn on the emergency light (hazard light)

Similar to a car horn, emergency lights still work when the car is turned off and locked from the outside. When pressing the hazard button, the emergency lights at the four corners of the car will flash continuously, some cars also have noise, helping to attract attention.

Regular hazard light buttons:

• There is a white triangle icon on a red background.
• Easily recognizable on the center console.

Parents should show children where and how to press this button. When needed, children can turn on the hazard lights at the same time as honking the horn.

3. Find the unlock button on the driver's seat

If the car is parked in a deserted place, children should look for the buttons on the side of the driver's seat or passenger seat. On many modern cars, there will be 2 buttons with an open and close lock icon.

Children only need:

• Press the button shaped like an open lock.
• Pull the door handle and push it outward to open the car door.

On some newer cars, pressing the unlock button also helps lower the window, creating an additional escape route for children. Parents should let their children practice using these buttons a few times so they can understand them well.

4. Use an emergency hammer

An emergency hammer is an important tool to help break car windows in an emergency. Currently, most buses and buses transporting students are equipped with emergency hammers. The hammer has a pointed tip design that concentrates force so children don't need to use too much force to still be able to break the glass. Car glass is safe glass. When broken, it will turn into corn kernels, without sharp pieces, so children will not be injured

Instruct children to use the sharp end of the hammer to hit the corner of the car window to easily break it.

5. Call rescue

As soon as children begin to recognize numbers, parents should teach them how to call emergency numbers such as 113 (police), 114 (fire) and 115 (emergency). Parents can save these numbers on their phones under easy-to-remember names such as "Policeman" or "Fireman" so children can easily find them.

At the same time, guide children to simply describe their situation, such as "I'm stuck in the car", "I can't open the car door", "I'm having trouble breathing and I'm scared". Teaching children simple, easy-to-remember sentences and practicing them regularly will help them react better when encountering real-life situations.

Questions Related to Leaving Children in Cars

1. At what age are children most likely to be forgotten in the car?

According to statistics, children under 4 years old, especially infants and toddlers, are at the highest risk of being left in a car. This is because young children often sleep a lot, are inactive and are not able to protect themselves.

2. How long can a child die if left in a car?

Consumer Reports did an experiment and found that, even when the outside temperature is 61 degrees F (16 degrees C), the temperature inside a closed car still reaches more than 105 degrees F (40,5 degrees C). ) in just 1 hour, this level of heat can be fatal to children.

3. What are the warning signs that a child is in danger when trapped in a car?

Warning signs that a child is in danger when trapped in a vehicle include:

• Children breathe quickly and rapidly.
• The skin is red, hot, and sweats a lot.
• Pulse is rapid and weak.
• Drowsiness, drowsiness, even unconsciousness.
• Convulsion.

4. How to remind yourself not to forget your child in the car?

Some helpful tips to remind yourself not to leave children unattended in the car include:

• Place necessary items such as bags and phones next to the child's chair.
• Stick reminder paper on the steering wheel and dashboard.
• Set an alarm timer on your phone.
• Ask relatives to remind you by phone.
• Create a habit of "Park, Look, Lock".

5. What do cars need to be equipped with to ensure children's safety?

To ensure children's safety, cars need to be equipped with:

• Specialized safety seats for children.
• Seat belts for child seats.
• Child safety lock for car doors.
• Window sunshades.
• Glass breaking hammer, seat belt cutting tool.
• Surveillance cameras and sensors detect children in the vehicle.

6. How should adults handle children who are panicked and scared after being rescued?

When children are panicked and scared after being rescued, adults need to:

• Reassure and stabilize the child's spirit.
• Take your child to the hospital for a health check.
• Let your child drink plenty of water and rest properly.
• Encourage and comfort children with gentle words and gestures.
• Create a quiet, comfortable space for children to recover.
• Consult a psychologist if your child shows signs of prolonged anxiety or panic.

7. What complications do children experience after being left in a car?

Children who have been left in a car may experience the following complications:

• Impaired brain function, affecting cognitive and motor abilities.
• Nerve damage, paralysis.
• Kidney failure, liver failure.
• Sleep and eating disorders.
• Anxiety, fear, psychological phobia.
• Loss of trust, alienation from parents and adults.

8. What should parents keep in mind when leaving their children in the care of grandparents or relatives?

When sending children to grandparents or relatives, parents need to:

• Explain clearly about your child's habits and schedules.
• Careful instructions on how to care for and transport children.
• Provide adequate supplies, food, and milk for children.
• Communicate regularly to understand the child's situation.
• Provide hypothetical situations and how to handle them.
• Equip babysitters with knowledge and skills to prevent accidents.

9. If a child is discovered forgotten in the car, what should adults do?

If you discover a child trapped in a vehicle, you should quickly:

• Call 113 (police) or 115 (emergency).
• Find a way to open the car door (break the window if necessary).
• Take the child out of the car to a cool place.
• Take off the child's clothes and use a wet towel to cool the child.
• Let your child drink water slowly if he or she is alert.

Hope the above information will be useful. If there is a need Professional car repair and maintenance in HCM, you can find it Thanh Phong Auto to be served. We are committed to providing quality, fast service at the most competitive prices!