As Summer Begins, Families are Warned of the Danger of Hot Cars: JPMA and KidsAndCars.org Partner to Protect Children
MT. LAUREL, N.J. (PRWEB) July 02, 2018 -- As the hot summer months arrive, The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), and KidsAndCars.org are joining forces to raise awareness among families of the dangers of hot cars and how they can keep their children safe.
Vehicle interiors heat up rapidly and it can take mere minutes for a car to turn deadly for a small child. Children’s core body temperature can quickly rise to 105 degrees, when bodily functions quickly begin to shut down. More than eighteen child deaths have already been attributed to heatstroke this year, and unfortunately that number is expected to rise as temperatures climb.
Since 1990, over 800 children have died in these tragedies. On average, 37 children die needlessly every year from vehicular heatstroke.
JPMA, the voice of the industry on quality and safety for products intended for babies and children, and KidsAndCars.org, the only national nonprofit child safety organization dedicated solely to preventing injuries and deaths of children in and around vehicles, are working together to raise awareness of hot car dangers.
“We already know education alone won’t put an end to these tragedies. We also need to use technology,” said Janette Fennell, president and founder of KidsAndCars.org.
And companies are responding. Several car seat manufacturers and automakers have developed, or are currently working on, technology that will provide a solution for parents.
“Hot car tragedies are top of mind for all of us in the baby and children’s products industry, especially this time of year. At JPMA, we’re seeing important advances in our member’s products to help combat this issue, like two of this year’s JPMA Innovation Awards finalists, the CYBEX Sirona M with SensorSafe Technology and Baby Trend’s Connected Gear. Evenflo also incorporates the SensorSafe technology in seven of their car seat models. All of these companies are integrating safety technology into car seats to alert parents when unsafe situations arise, like excessive heat,” said Kelly Mariotti, JPMA Executive Director. “We’re proud to work with KidsAndCars.org so we can continue to make advances like these.”
JPMA and KidsAndCars.org have the following tips for parents and caregivers to help keep kids safe:
• “Look Before You Lock,” get in the habit of always opening the back door to check the back seat before leaving your vehicle to make sure no child has been left behind.
• Put something you'll need to use early in your day like your cell phone, handbag, employee ID or brief case, in the back seat on the floorboard so you’ll need to open the back door every time you park.
• Keep a large stuffed animal in the child's car seat. When the child is placed in the car seat, place the stuffed animal in the front passenger seat. It's a visual reminder that the child is in the back seat.
• Keep vehicles locked at all times, even in driveways or garages. Ask home visitors, child-care providers and neighbors to do the same.
• Keep car keys and remote openers out of reach of children.
• Never leave children alone in or around cars – not even for a minute.
• If you see a child alone in a vehicle, get involved. Call 911 immediately. If the child seems hot or sick, get them out of the vehicle as quickly as possible.
• Be especially careful during busy times, schedule changes and periods of crisis or holidays. This is when many tragedies occur.
For additional safety tips and information about how to keep children safe in and around motor vehicles please visit: https://www.kidsandcars.org/how-kids-get-hurt/heat-stroke/
About KidsAndCars.org:
Founded in 1996, KidsAndCars.org is the only national nonprofit child safety organization dedicated solely to preventing injuries and deaths of children in and around vehicles. KidsAndCars.org promotes awareness among parents, caregivers and the general public about the dangers to children, including backover and frontover incidents, underage driving and vehicular heatstroke. The organization works to prevent tragedies through data collection, education and public awareness, policy change and survivor advocacy.
ABOUT JPMA
The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) exists as the voice of the industry on quality and safety for products intended for babies and children. We do this by:
• Advocating for safety through product certification programs and legislative and regulatory involvement;
• Supporting a broad and diverse membership through member-only programming and industry promotion;
• And by acting as a comprehensive source for baby product information and education.
JPMA members represent 95 percent of the prenatal to preschool products sold in North America.
To find out more about JPMA, our certification program and products certified, and for a complete listing of JPMA Members, please visit http://www.jpma.org. Follow JPMA on Twitter @JPMA and connect with us on Facebook to learn about additional safety tips and JPMA initiatives.
The annual JPMA conference, trade and consumer show will be held on April 10-13, 2019 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL. Now in its third year, the show will feature an updated format to stay ahead of the multi-faceted needs of the domestic and global baby products industry, with robust conference programming, trade and consumer engagement, and multiple media touchpoints – all under one roof. Learn more at http://www.jpmababyshow.org.
Kelly Voelker, JPMA, http://www.jpma.org, +1 (704) 769-5537, [email protected]
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