Advocates Demand Action on Hot Car Death Prevention Technology
As the summer months bring rising temperatures, advocates are intensifying their push for federal regulators to mandate life-saving technology in vehicles designed to prevent child deaths in hot cars. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is under pressure to finalize a rule addressing this critical safety issue.
Across from the U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters in Washington, D.C., Kids and Car Safety, an advocacy group, recently displayed 1,086 infant onesies under a tree. The display symbolizes the tragic number of children lost to hot car deaths since 1990.
So far in 2024, three children have died in hot cars, and an average of 38 children die each year, according to Kids and Car Safety. The group is urging the NHTSA to expedite the implementation of technology capable of preventing these tragedies.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act mandated that the NHTSA issue a rule requiring new passenger vehicles weighing under 10,000 pounds to include systems that alert drivers to check the back seat after the car is switched off. However, Kids and Car Safety reports that the agency has missed two key deadlines: December 2022 for a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and November 2023 for a final rule.
“They had two years to look at what technology is out there and to come up with a final rule. Well, it’s almost a year past that deadline, and they still haven’t even issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking,” said Amber Rollins, director of Kids and Car Safety, in an interview with ABC News.
The current deadline for the NHTSA to issue the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is August 2024.
In a statement provided to ABC News, the NHTSA said it is “exploring exceeding congressional requirements by evaluating a full range of options that could more effectively address the issue of hot car deaths.” The agency is considering a range of solutions, including systems that remind the driver to check the back seat and more sophisticated technology that can detect and alert parents to the presence of a child.
Currently, two main types of technology are available: end-of-trip reminders and occupant detection systems. Occupant detection systems use sensors to identify movement or heartbeats in the back seat, some able to differentiate between an adult and a child. End-of-trip reminders simply alert the driver to check the back seat.
According to a 2023 report commissioned by NHTSA, occupant detection and alert technology is currently available in some Hyundai and Kia models, with an estimated cost of around $20.
Until a new rule is implemented, Rollins offered these safety suggestions:
- Always keep car doors locked.
- Be extra cautious during changes in routine.
- Use a visual reminder, such as a stuffed animal, in the front of the car.
- Place a crucial item, like a work badge or phone, in the back seat.
- Childproof car doors and install alarms.
