Garland County Judge Leaves 2 Year Old In Car

[DaffyDill]

I think we're on the right path with these ideas. Not sure if actually preventing the car door from being opened until the car seat is released is exactly right, because in an accident/emergency you don't want anything to delay the opening of the door. But yes, something in that general range -- what if it was a sound, not too loud, that was something associated with baby, like the "go to sleep" lullaby tune (sorry, I'm not a parent, don't know what it's called, lol) -- that's not something a parent would likely use as a ringtone that might cause them to have a different association, and it would immediately give the mental message "baby" -- plus it wouldn't necessarily wake the baby since it's a soothing sound...

So the sound could play as the driver's door opens -- not when the engine goes off, because as we've said, sometimes you're just turning off the engine while you wait but not getting out (or the hybrids that "turn off" while waiting at lights). Also I think newer cars have the radio keep playing even when the engine goes off, and that doesn't silence until the door opens (at least on my 2014 Chevy Spark that's how it works).

Hmm... maybe we're on the right track...

With my car, a 2005 Toyota, if you open the drivers door and the headlights haven't been turned off, there is an audible alarm that goes off. It's not very loud, just a "ding, ding, ding" sound, but that is all that is needed. And yes, a baby related noise like a lullaby, or even with the advent of iPods etc, why can't each person choose their reminder tone/noise?

[church_of_dog]

With my car, a 2005 Toyota, if you open the drivers door and the headlights haven't been turned off, there is an audible alarm that goes off. It's not very loud, just a "ding, ding, ding" sound, but that is all that is needed. And yes, a baby related noise like a lullaby, or even with the advent of iPods etc, why can't each person choose their reminder tone/noise?

Yes, exactly. Even older cars have that (I have a '94 pickup that does it), so it can't be too techy. But instead of connecting to the lights, or to all seat belts in general, there needs to be a way to identify when there is a car seat in the car, and as fundiefarmer said, to identify when the car seat is occupied vs when it's empty. One key to making it work is ensuring it doesn't have too many false alarms, as that's when it would become too easy to mentally tune them out.

[happy atheist]

Yes, exactly. Even older cars have that (I have a '94 pickup that does it), so it can't be too techy. But instead of connecting to the lights, or to all seat belts in general, there needs to be a way to identify when there is a car seat in the car, and as fundiefarmer said, to identify when the car seat is occupied vs when it's empty. One key to making it work is ensuring it doesn't have too many false alarms, as that's when it would become too easy to mentally tune them out.

I think the problem with an alarm (even a quiet one) that goes off every time, is that the parent is almost always going to get out of the car first, so the alarm will go off every single time, and people would get used to it and tune it out. It becomes Just That Sound My Car Makes.

You know how the passenger seat in some cars will let you know if the air bag is on based on the weight it measures of the object in the seat? Well, what if something similar could be done with the car seat and a bluetooth connection to a keychain/phone so that if the keychain/phone moves x number of feet away from the carseat while a certain weight or more remains in the seat, an alarm goes off on the keychain?

This seems more promising to me. You have to move a certain distance from the car, so it won't go off every damn time.

[Geechee Girl]

I wonder the driver's seatbelt alarm could be engineered in the reverse for all seatbelts that are engaged. A smart car would know that 3 belts were connected but only 2 disengaged, therefore an alarm will ping for that 3rd belt. Sure, it would be a extra step to connect & detach a carseat base, but at least it would prompt parents to attend to the seat upon entering/leaving the car.

[church_of_dog]

And if it was linked to the car seat only, then it *wouldn't* go off every time, only when there is a baby in the car. Which I think would help avoid the tuneout of it.

Yes, it would go off even when the driver hasn't forgotten the baby, but I think that might be a good thing, as the sound of that "alarm" or chime or lullaby would be heard as one is retrieving the baby, which then will come to be associated with that action.

I also keep reminding myself that this isn't a forever situation, even for families with multiple children, because by the time a kid is three or so I presume they are usually able to unbuckle themselves. Maybe even earlier? So this is a 2-3 year or so process for each child -- not overly oppressive except for the QFiest of families -- the annoyance of the jingle seems like a small price to pay for reassurance of this magnitude. Kind of like carrying a diaper bag around -- annoying, but people accept it as "goes with the territory" of having a kid that young.

Personally I also like the idea of putting one's purse or wallet or backpack in the rear seat, along with any packages acquired en route -- anything to cause me/the driver to have to open the back door and reach into the back seat on a habitual basis. But I'm an overcautious person in that way, and I guess that's the whole point, that many people aren't, and can't fathom that their love for their child isn't the important criteria here, but their susceptibility to being on automatic is what matters...

[RandomTrivia]

I wonder the driver's seatbelt alarm could be engineered in the reverse for all seatbelts that are engaged. A smart car would know that 3 belts were connected but only 2 disengaged, therefore an alarm will ping for that 3rd belt. Sure, it would be a extra step to connect & detach a carseat base, but at least it would prompt parents to attend to the seat upon entering/leaving the car.

The problem with that one is that the more times you take the seat or base out and put it back in (or maybe even just release and re-clip the belt), the more chances you have of not getting the installation right. And there's a statistic I saw about how a scary percentage of seats aren't installed properly in the first place. I know at least one of our seats (one kid, but we've had 4, I think, different seats) was a pain in the ass to install tightly, so we avoided moving it whenever possible.

I think an alarm would need to have some sort of proximity plus time factor, because there are some reasonable, necessary times that the adult is out of the car momentarily while the child is still inside. Gas stations (even pay-at-the-pump), getting out at home to go around and get the child out, vice versa when loading up. Heck, even having to open/close the garage door if things have gone to crap and you're doing it manually (hello, power outage or crapped-out automatic opener). Maybe an alarm on the keychain that beeps if you're more than X feet from the car or have been out for X minutes. And preferably an alarm attached to the key fob rather than a phone app, because not all of us have smartphones, and there are days when the phone gets forgotten, muted, out of battery, whatever. The key fob is, I think, a more constant thing - no key, no going anywhere. Also, for more coverage, the alarm should be separate from the seat so everyone doesn't have to go buy a new seat (which can be $$$$), and not require some whatsit that only newer cars have (not sure what that would be, I drive a '99 with a freaking cassette player).

[fun2beme]

Somewhere online, there is a very very good (but heartbreaking) article about this. Google isn't finding it for me right now, but it was linked last time FJ discussed an incident like this. This Washington Post article is close, but I don't think it's the one I'm remembering.

Brain autopilot is a weird, sometimes scary thing - when you're driving somewhere and get there, but don't really remember anything about the drive, it's unsettling. On weekends, when we go out, DH will automatically take the route to work if he's not paying attention. Autopilot is also why I've circled the block on many occasions, because I can't remember actually closing the garage door. It's always closed when I come back to check, but hitting the remote button is so automatic that it just doesn't register in my brain.

I think I know the case you're referring to but couldn't find it on the WaPo, though I remember reading it about one year ago. It was a woman who was in the military and worked at the Pentagon. She accidentally left her son in the car while she was at work. Reading the article, it was the "perfect storm" - her sister had called her late the night before, distraught about problems her son was having, she had to pick up a friend whose car broke down, one of the kids had been sick earlier in the week (lack of sleep) - enough things to throw everything off balance. IIRC, she was using her husband's car since she lent hers to the friend whose broke down and his seats were higher so she couldn't see the car seat in the mirror as she usually did. Just so many little things but they tragically added up.

That article was heart-breaking; she was arrested and went through a trial, ultimately being found not guilty. Her interview revealed a pain that was gut-wrenching.

I think it's easy to say it can never happen to me, but the truth is, it can and does. And I agree that it's a sort of defense mechanism because we see how easily it can happen.

[DaffyDill]

I think I know the case you're referring to but couldn't find it on the WaPo, though I remember reading it about one year ago. It was a woman who was in the military and worked at the Pentagon. She accidentally left her son in the car while she was at work. Reading the article, it was the "perfect storm" - her sister had called her late the night before, distraught about problems her son was having, she had to pick up a friend whose car broke down, one of the kids had been sick earlier in the week (lack of sleep) - enough things to throw everything off balance. IIRC, she was using her husband's car since she lent hers to the friend whose broke down and his seats were higher so she couldn't see the car seat in the mirror as she usually did. Just so many little things but they tragically added up.

That article was heart-breaking; she was arrested and went through a trial, ultimately being found not guilty. Her interview revealed a pain that was gut-wrenching.

I think it's easy to say it can never happen to me, but the truth is, it can and does. And I agree that it's a sort of defense mechanism because we see how easily it can happen.

The woman you mentioned in your post who left her son in the car as it was "the perfect storm" is featured in the linked Washington Post article. It's a fairly long article though so maybe you missed it. She's interviewed in it and has since had another baby. She does a lot to raise awareness of how easily this can happen to anyone, with an organisation called Kids and Cars.

[RosyDaisy]

That poor baby. Rest in peace little one.

[roddma]

While it doesnt mean the paretns are abusive and I feel bad for anyone going through this, but I agree with Dgayle. How could anyone forget they had a child with them anytime I have no kids myself and never forgot when I had nieces etc with me no matter how old they were. There's a vast difference in accidentally taking the wrong road related to your past job, maybe forgetting to pick up a child from school, and forgetting a child in a hot car.

[2xx1xy1JD]

The problem with that one is that the more times you take the seat or base out and put it back in (or maybe even just release and re-clip the belt), the more chances you have of not getting the installation right. And there's a statistic I saw about how a scary percentage of seats aren't installed properly in the first place. I know at least one of our seats (one kid, but we've had 4, I think, different seats) was a pain in the ass to install tightly, so we avoided moving it whenever possible.

I think an alarm would need to have some sort of proximity plus time factor, because there are some reasonable, necessary times that the adult is out of the car momentarily while the child is still inside. Gas stations (even pay-at-the-pump), getting out at home to go around and get the child out, vice versa when loading up. Heck, even having to open/close the garage door if things have gone to crap and you're doing it manually (hello, power outage or crapped-out automatic opener). Maybe an alarm on the keychain that beeps if you're more than X feet from the car or have been out for X minutes. And preferably an alarm attached to the key fob rather than a phone app, because not all of us have smartphones, and there are days when the phone gets forgotten, muted, out of battery, whatever. The key fob is, I think, a more constant thing - no key, no going anywhere. Also, for more coverage, the alarm should be separate from the seat so everyone doesn't have to go buy a new seat (which can be $$$$), and not require some whatsit that only newer cars have (not sure what that would be, I drive a '99 with a freaking cassette player).

Oh, car seat installation is another pet peeve of mine.

They always quote statistics about how many are installed incorrectly, with the assumption that all these parents are idiots. Well, maybe if most parents can't figure out how to install it properly, there is a fundamental problem with the whole design.....

The LATCH system made it slightly easier, but I remember that car seat installation was NOT intuitive. My instinct was to simply put the seatbelt through the openings, and fasten it. My folks assumed the same. But no - you had to go through tricks to properly level the car seat, then put all your weight on the seat while thread everything through and pull with all your might to reach the seatbelt and make sure it's as tight as can be. I'd master one car seat, only to call customer support because I couldn't figure out another model.