by Janet Brooks
Child Advocacy Manager
What would we do without our vehicles? They really do make life much easier. There are so many positives that it is hard to imagine getting by in any other way. But, as with many good things there are also risks and concerns that safety advocates and many caregivers recognize.
Take for example, the fact that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and injury to almost all age groups of people. For many years, actual crashes were the only vehicle incidents that were tracked with detailed data. In 2004 though, Primary Children’s Hospital saw the death of ten children in “out-of-vehicle” deaths, specifically driveway backovers. Some telling data had been collected during a few previous years and these heartbreaking tragedies stirred our Child Advocacy Department and community partners to immediate action. In early 2005, the Spot the Tot campaign was launched from the hospital and a full-fledged effort to eradicate this type of preventable death became our passion. A few simple actions have been our mantra since the launch:
- Always supervise children when other adults are leaving in the car
- Walk completely around the vehicle before getting in to drive
- Before moving a vehicle be fully aware and undistracted of your surroundings, whether it is the driveway or parking lot
- Never let children play in or around car
Since the inception of our Spot the Tot campaign the fatality numbers have dropped and we have added the Never leave Your Child Alone in the Car program. Last year in the United States, 44 children died of heat related illness (hyperthermia) after intentionally or unintentionally being left in the car or climbing in the car themselves and unable to get out. Unified Police Authority in the Wasatch Front area receive over 1,000 reports of children left alone in cars each year.
Warmer weather is quickly approaching and children are returning outdoors to enjoy the reprieve from the long winter months. Please join with us at Primary Children’s Hospital to protect the lives of these precious little ones. Remember the great benefits of our cars but remember that along with the good exists some risk. Of course, there is nothing more important than The Child, First and Always®!
