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Two-year-old becomes sixth child to die in a hot car so far this year (www.independent.co.uk)

submitted 1 year ago by jeffw@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

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[-] FuglyDuck@lemmy.world 80 points 1 year ago

People, if there’s a child in the back seat, and it’s hot out… call the cops.

If the child isn’t moving… pound on the window to try and rouse them. If you can’t…. Go to the opposite front window and break it.

(You’ll have to be creative. It’s not easy to break automotive glass Something hard and concentrated. Or a big ass rock.)

Also, probably preaching to the choir…. But….

DONT LEAVE YOUR KID IN THE FUCKING CAR.

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[-] awesome_lowlander@lemmy.dbzer0.com 58 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I see it's time to repost this:

Fatal distraction, a Pulitzer Prize winning article

Tearjerker article about how parents who've been through this felt, why it happens, and what car manufacturers could do to prevent it.

Archive link: http://web.archive.org/web/20240617002402/https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/fatal-distraction-forgetting-a-child-in-thebackseat-of-a-car-is-a-horrifying-mistake-is-it-a-crime/2014/06/16/8ae0fe3a-f580-11e3-a3a5-42be35962a52_story.html

[-] capital@lemmy.world 38 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140729204858/http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/fatal-distraction-forgetting-a-child-in-thebackseat-of-a-car-is-a-horrifying-mistake-is-it-a-crime/2014/06/16/8ae0fe3a-f580-11e3-a3a5-42be35962a52_story.html

FUCK ME

Several people -- including Mary Parks of Blacksburg -- have driven from their workplace to the day-care center to pick up the child they’d thought they’d dropped off, never noticing the corpse in the back seat.

[-] Railcar8095@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago

I didn't want to read the article because I expected horrible things written in there. Like this.

Thanks

[-] Corigan@lemm.ee 10 points 1 year ago

I couldn't finish reading, I am already a mess of tears 10 paragraphs in. I cannot imagine the pain and guilt....

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[-] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 7 points 1 year ago

The headline:

Fatal Distraction: Forgetting a Child in the Backseat of a Car Is a Horrifying Mistake. Is It a Crime?

YES! It is and it should be. It's neglect! There's no reason to keep reading when the headline asks a bullshit question.

I also wouldn't read an article titled, Should murder be wrong?

[-] Wogi@lemmy.world 53 points 1 year ago

An award winning journalist, the only one to have will two Pulitzers for features, this being one of them: "here's a horrifying thing that can happen to anyone."

Some random dipshit: "what an idiot."

[-] awesome_lowlander@lemmy.dbzer0.com 45 points 1 year ago

There's a reason the article won a Pulitzer. Maybe you could give it a try

[-] shinratdr@lemmy.ca 24 points 1 year ago

“That article can’t change my mind because I can’t read!”

[-] 1stTime4MeInMCU@mander.xyz 42 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

We created laws to require seat belts, maybe it’s time we create laws that require the manufacturers to install tech to detect kids and pets left in hot vehicles and alert the authorities or at the very least sound an alarm.

[-] Artyom@lemm.ee 50 points 1 year ago

Seatbelts are simple. Aside from the big brother distopian nightmare this proposal enables, I'm not convinced such a thing it technically possible.

[-] jeffw@lemmy.world 23 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I can see the headlines about the first time it’s rolled out… all the headlines are short people being mad that they were flagged as kids

[-] Artyom@lemm.ee 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Or the police officers who rushed on scene to find a bag of groceries in the back seat...after smashing a window...

[-] andrew_bidlaw@sh.itjust.works 16 points 1 year ago

'Where... dog?'

A confused police officer shredds a bag of veggies with a shotgun, claims self-defense.

[-] PsychedSy@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 1 year ago

I've had rental cars chirp back at me when I tried to lock them because my backpack was in the back seat.

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[-] Deello@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago

PIR occupancy sensor + thermometer + window open sensor + seat occupancy sensor/scale + door lock/child lock sensor + decibel limit on microphone already in car

Technically possible, yes. Most of the equipment is already there. It's just a matter of tuning everything to work together to solve the specific problem. The bigger problem in my eyes is most people would treat this as a perfect solution instead of a last resort like what happened with Tesla's FSD.

[-] IsThisAnAI@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

This is already in a bunch of cars. Just doesn't call police.

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[-] MeekerThanBeaker@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

Some cars have that already. I rented a Hyundai Elantra recently when my car was being serviced. It came with Rear Occupant Alert. Ultrasonic sensors can detect if there's movement in the backseat when a driver exits the vehicle.

[-] lennybird@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

They tried. Lobbyists got Congress to shoot it down.

It's not difficult. Functioning designs already exist. Hell most if not all cars today have weight sensors to determine airbag deployment.

If it saves one kid, then I'm all for it.

By the way: this famous article is a must-read for this topic

[-] Zahille7@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

Almost all modern cars (made in the last few years) have some kind of warning when you turn the car off and something is weighing down the backseat. My car has it.

Though it's possible to turn it off, I think it should be required to not be toggle-able.

[-] Alexstarfire@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

As someone who has no kids and doesn't transport kids, no thanks. I don't need it going off because I have random stuff in the back.

[-] Zahille7@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Gee, I didn't realize two little dings like every third time you turn off your car (if there's something on the seat) was so damn annoying. In fact, I hardly notice it even when I'm hauling stuff, which is about half the time I'm in my car.

It's not like it's the seatbelt warning that constantly goes off until you finally put on your seatbelt.

[-] Alexstarfire@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

I just don't like meaningless sounds because if you get used to ignoring them, they aren't useful. You'll just ignore it when it actually matters.

Ever read stories where people get backed over by forklifts and such with the obnoxious backup sounds? It's the same thing. They're used to hearing and ignoring the sound cause it's not around them. So when it actually matters it's literally in one ear and out the other.

[-] Grass@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago

wasn't there something about a car theft with the child in the car and the company wouldn't give the police the gps access because the owner wasn't subscribed? that would be all that happens for this because US and Canada suck at regulating things.

[-] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago

Yeet-the-baby-tron™

This brand new tech saves lives!!
Upon detecting a small humanoid within the car after it has been locked the system automatically opens the sunroof & violently yeets the human at least 100m in a random direction to maximised it's chances of getting some shade.

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[-] taiyang@lemmy.world 24 points 1 year ago

Why's it always gotta be a 2yo. :/

I'll be sure to hug my daughter extra tomorrow.

[-] lmaydev@lemmy.world 32 points 1 year ago

I wonder if that's because it's one of the most mentally draining ages.

Often the parents forget about them rather than intentionally leave them with no windows open.

[-] naun@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago

I wonder if it's because 2-year-olds are usually pretty noisy, so when they've fallen asleep, it's easier to forget that they're even back there.

[-] Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 year ago

Probably old enough the parent thinks they'll be fine on their own for a bit, but young enough to be a hassle to bring along on a "short" errand.

[-] Resol@lemmy.world 12 points 1 year ago

It's hot enough to cook an egg in there (I think), so please don't cook your children too. They're not food.

[-] Iheartcheese@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

Really makes you think

[-] Resol@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

I mean, that's probably the only edible thing you can cook in a hot car.

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[-] UltraGiGaGigantic@lemm.ee 8 points 1 year ago

Ban cars

[-] explodicle@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 year ago

Parenting pro tip: Once the car seat is installed, check it every time you leave the car. Even before the baby is born, even if you are currently holding the baby.

[-] lorty@lemmy.ml 5 points 1 year ago

I don't understand why this is so common in the US.

[-] psmgx@lemmy.world 29 points 1 year ago

Lots of really hot climates, lots of cars, 3rd largest population in the world, and a very active news media.

If India or Africa could afford cars you be hearing about it a lot there too.

[-] maccentric@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago

3rd largest population in the world

I’m curious how you came about this statistic?

[-] corus_kt@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

I went to check and US is 2nd in total car population, 8th in cars per capita (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_territories_by_motor_vehicles_per_capita) with China likely exceeding US around 2020 (statista source estimate not linked because they put up a paywall after I viewed it once)

Still way too many dead children tbh

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[-] driving_crooner@lemmy.eco.br 13 points 1 year ago

Car dependency

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this post was submitted on 05 Jul 2024

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