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Many parents balk at the notion that they could ever forget their child in the backseat of a car, but research indicates that Forgotten Baby Syndrome (FBS) can happen to anyone. It occurs when caregivers arrive at their destination and are supposed to drop the child off at daycare or school but continue with their day, oblivious to the fact that the child is strapped into a car seat in the backseat. Here’s information on how to prevent leaving a child in a hot car and what to know if a kid is locked in a hot car.
Child locked in a hot car? How does it happen?
Often FBS occurs when the parent is not usually the one dropping the child off, but tragedies like this can happen to anyone, even caregivers who are regularly the ones doing daycare drop-off and pickup. We’ve all experienced times where we’ve driven to work without really thinking about the route.
“The habit brain system is a great convenience that allows us to go into autopilot,” Dr. David Diamond, a professor of psychology, explained to Consumer Reports.
“The beauty of it is that we don’t have to remember every turn, but the problem is that it’s guiding our behavior. When it guides our behavior, it suppresses the other part of the brain that is supposed to remind us of additional information,” the professor of psychology elaborated.
This is how FBS occurs.
Hot car death prevention: Can auto manufacturers do more?
In 2021, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed requiring the finalization of a rule by November 2023 that ensures new vehicles are manufactured with an alert system that – when the engine is turned off – reminds drivers to check rear seats for children. To this end, several automakers have already made commitments to implement such reminder systems by the time their 2025 models roll out.
There are several options when it comes to rear seat alert systems, like the aforementioned end-of-trip reminder. Rear seat motion detection is another type of technology being considered for some models.
“Every day this effective technology is not included in our vehicles, we are failing our children and their loved ones,” Kids and Car Safety founder Janette Fennell told Treasure Coast News. “We’ve got to get this technology in vehicles to give us, our children, a chance.”
“The brain memory systems that fail when people forget children in cars are the same as those systems that cause us to forget to shut off the headlights when we arrive at a destination,” Diamond explained in his prospective memory study. “Just as auto manufacturers have built-in systems that shut off headlights, we must have built-in systems that detect a forgotten child in a car.”
Tips to avoid leaving a child in a hot car
There are several products and services on the market that aim to assist caregivers in ensuring the safety of the children in their care. The GPS app Waze offers a child reminder notification that is available for both Android and iPhone users. And, until auto manufacturers standardize rear seat reminder systems in all vehicles, the Ride N Remind Back Seat Reminder System – which can be purchased on Amazon – can be a lifesaving option for busy caregivers.
There are also some low-tech reminders that caregivers may want to implement immediately, like leaving a note or stuffed animal in the front seat or putting your cell phone in the backseat near the child. Caregivers can also ask childcare providers to call and check in if their child doesn’t show up as expected as an added safety measure.
“It has never happened to me or anyone I know, but it can happen. Things happen. Sometimes just a change in your schedule or being sleep-deprived from having a newborn,” Catherine S. told Popsugar. “I always leave my bag on the floor of the back seat to not forget.”
Another important facet of FBS to consider is the racial disparities within the justice system.
Statistics indicate that Black defendants were more likely to be charged and receive longer sentences than white defendants, according to research by the University of South Carolina that considered a number of factors when it comes to cases of vehicular heatstroke.
Children’s body temperature rises three times faster than that of an adult, which means that time is of the essence. If you encounter a child locked in a hot car, call 911 immediately and wait near the car until help arrives.
