Leaving a baby or a child inside a car is traumatizing. There have been many incidents reported where a hot car has led to death. When you cannot find the keys and the baby is panicking in the car, there is a sense of mania that sets in. During these situations we start fumbling and start thinking of drastic measures of getting the baby out.
The law on leaving a child behind in the Car, Las Vegas
The state of Nevada defines the situation of leaving an unattended child in a motor vehicle, makes it mandatory that a child or legal guardian of any child under the age of 8 will not be left behind, unattended in the car on purpose, when
- The safety of the child is compromised by doing so
- The car is in running
Unless another child over the age of 12 is monitoring the child from a distance.
The dangers of being trapped in a hot car
Research suggests that the temperature is higher inside a locked car by 400 as compared to outside. Even if the temperature is as low as 300 outside, within the car, it is as high as 700. Not many people are aware of the fact that keeping the AC on for as little as 7 minutes can rise the internal temperature of the car. The rise in temperature within the car is not unaffected by the color, window tints, parking in the shade or with windows rolled down slightly. The high temperature within the car can prove to be deadly and lead to adverse effects. Children are at a higher risk because unlike adults, the rise in body temperature is 3-5 time higher.
What to do when you spot a child trapped in a hot car?
- If it is your child in the car that you’re accidentally locked out of, try looking for the keys, while you reassure and calm the child. If you think your child is safe and not distressed or hot, call for help immediately. Call 911 and they will respond immediately.
- Alternatively, call for a locksmith. Do not take any drastic measures if you are able to calm the child. If the child is old enough, you can ask them to unlock the car from the inside (if you don’t have the child lock on).
- If the child is anxious and starts to get hot, locate the farthest window which is at a safe distance from the child and shatter it. Ensure that you don’t harm the child in this process. It must be the last resort. If at any time you see the child breaking into a sweat or is hysterical, it is better to act fast than wait for help.
If you spot a kid trapped in the car,
- Call for help immediately. Have someone look for the child’s parents. In such situations, it is hard to resort to extreme measures if the situation can be handled in another way.
- If the child is found at a car park, look for the attendant and report the case. They will be of better assistance.
- Call 911 emergency services and report the case if you cannot find the parent or legal guardian.
- If the child is in a state of distress, try to calm the child. Call for an ambulance. If the police advise you to break the glass, do so.
It is best to have emergency contact numbers stored on the phone should such situations arise.
