Comments on: BABY’s Death in a Hot Car Stirs Questions

By: Anara Guard

Anara Guard — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 15:28:57 +0000

It is not true that airbags are the only risk to young children. Child passenger safety experts recommend the back seat for ages up to 12 because it is safest in any kind of crash, whether or not airbags are engaged. Moving children to the front seat is NOT the solution to the problem of adults overlooking children in the back seat. We need education, engineering solutions AND enforcement of laws and policies. Please use extra vigilance when changing schedules and routines.

By: Bob Steffen

Bob Steffen — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:42:02 +0000

Hi I am Bob Steffen inventor of the car seat monitor. The back seat is the safest place in the car in an accident. The problem is you can’t see the child. We have a product that works. It let’s you know a child is in a car seat whenever the car stops and alert’s you if they get out. http://www.carseatmonitor.com

By: Julie Bianchi

Julie Bianchi — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 09:19:02 +0000

God, that just breaks my heart. You know the father is never going to forgive himself and he will suffer the rest of his life over this.

Both of my children rode backward in the middle of my backseat. My saving grace was putting a mirror that suctioned to the rear window and pointed toward my children. I then had a small mirror attached to my rearview mirror that pointed to the mirror that was looking at my child. That way, every time I looked in the rearview, which most drivers do constantly, I could see my child.

As sleep deprived as I was at times, I’m so lucky that never happened to me, but with the stress people are under now days, it really is a wonder it doesn’t happen more often.

My heart goes out to the family of that baby.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 04:05:13 +0000

Thanks for the pointer to the article, it’s an excellent piece. My first kid rode backwards in the front seat (this was before passenger-side airbags) but her little brothers had to ride in the back. It was a constant worry to me that I might forget them, and also just a huge hassle not being able to see them and easily reach them when they needed something. They cried more since they weren’t able to see me.

I think passenger-side airbags should always have switches to turn them off so that babies can ride up front, for exactly these reasons. My guess is that putting them in back causes more problems than it solves. My heart goes out to the families who have lost their babies — I’m actually surprised it doesn’t happen more often. There but for the grace of god go I.