Saving Lives – Helping Kids Escape a Locked Car Trunk
We all know little kids love to climb. And hide-and-seek is often a favorite game. Unfortunately no matter how often you stress the danger, a car trunk can still look like a great place to play. That said, I think all of us would agree that with little kids around it’s a good idea to have an internal trunk release – especially since they are known to be the easiest and fastest way to escape from inside of a car trunk. What may not be commonly known however is that most vehicles older than model year 2002 do NOT have a trunk release accessible from inside the trunk compartment. An organization called Kids and Cars has made it a priority to not only pass on this information but to try and address the problem.
Kids and Cars‘ goals are to ensure that not only are children never left unattended in or around vehicles but also to support the design of safer vehicles that eliminate unnecessary deaths and injury to children. Kids and Cars maintains a national database tracking deaths and injuries to children left unattended in or around motor vehicles. Currently there is no federal or state agency that collects this information
Tonight, Janette Fennell, founder of Kids and Cars.org will appear on SpikeTV’s “Surviving Disaster: Home Invasion” during the segment on how to escape from a locked car trunk. And for the 2 weeks following the airing (September 22 – October 6), Kids and Cars.org will offer an after-market Emergency Trunk Release kit at a special “donation price” that includes free shipping.
If you do not currently have an emergency glow-in-the-dark trunk release, it is imperative you purchase one whether from Kids and Cars or elsewhere; if you have one I highly recommend making sure every child knows what it is and how to use it. Three children lost their lives this summer after gaining access to a car trunk that did not have this simple safety device. Not a single trunk related fatality has been reported where one of these devices was installed. The message is clear…we just need to hear it.
We all need to observe National Child Passenger Safety Week
We struggle in so many ways to keep our children and grandchildren safe from the many dangers we know are out there, both on the streets and in our homes. Yet surprisingly, even those who love them the most, are willing to do everything in their power to protect them from harm, still allow them to be exposed to a dangerous situation, sometimes several times a day. I’m talking about the few minutes required to make sure they are properly restrained in their car.
I’m a grandma. When my own children were young, there were no child restraint safety seats, therefore, no safety regulations regarding their use. Seatbelts were the only safety measures available in cars, and their use was not yet mandatory. Today, with the availability of four types of safety restraints for children based on age, height and weight statistics – and a step-by-step instruction guide to help you figure out which one you need (thank you!) – the watchdogs of child safety have made the use of the proper restraint a no-brainer. Combined with easy-to-follow installation methods (including offering videos as well as live help options) the only part of protection that remains to be taken care of is making sure the restraints are closed properly. That job was never intended to be left for the “kids” to handle themselves. What I think has happened over the last number of years is, with Mom or another caregiver transporting children to school, doctors, play dates, lessons, sports, shopping, etc . . . , everyone is in and out of the car so many times a day, that the easy way out took precedence over what is correct. We let the kids buckle themselves in. But making sure they are safe is an adult responsibility.
It’s time for a reality check. Too many children are killed or maimed each year because an otherwise loving, conscientious caregiver did not realize that the child safety restraint was not the proper one, was not installed correctly, or was not secured the right way. These are senseless and preventable tragedies.
Reaching out to and teaching these loving caregivers that help is available to minimize or eliminate the injuries sustained by children in a car crash has become the mission of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This week, September 12 through September18, has been designated National Child Passenger Safety Week. Using all the tools at its disposal to spread awareness and make safety checks available to anyone interested in keeping children safe while being transported in a car. NHTSA has gone all-out to spread the word.
We wish everyone concerned in this worthwhile endeavor “good luck”. We’re hoping that every person reading this takes the time to forward the information and the links to all the caregivers they know.
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Shopping cart safety
While shopping at the grocery store, it’s quite common to see young children climbing on and standing up in shopping carts. Although safety belts have been available for many years on most shopping carts, there are still an estimated 21,400 children under the 
age of five who are treated in U.S. emergency rooms every year because of injuries sustained from shopping carts. Most of these injuries are head injuries due to falls from not being properly restrained in the child seat of the cart.
Most children love to climb and do not enjoy sitting still for long periods of time. So parents face the challenge of keeping their kids restrained and entertained while shopping and may be tempted to let them climb on the cart or ride in the basket just to keep them happy. Or a child may get out of the restraint belt while mom or dad is preoccupied with shopping. So how do you keep your little one safe while you shop?
Here are some tips to help.
Always use the seat belt/safety strap
Children who are properly restrained in the child seat of a shopping cart are much less likely to fall out of the cart so make it a rule that if your child is in the cart, the strap has to be fastened securely. This should be non-negotiable with your child, just as seat belts and car seats in the car are a non-negotiable rule when riding in the car. Infants who are not able to sit up without assistance should not sit in a shopping cart seat unless it has a built-in infant seat with a harness restraint system. Never allow kids to climb on the cart or ride in the basket. Older children should not push the cart if younger children are riding in it and should not be allowed to ride on the outside of the cart, as this could cause the cart to tip over.
Use a shopping cart cover
Shopping cart covers help protect kids in two ways. First, they cover the seat and bar of the shopping cart which protects from germs and provides some padding, making the ride more comfortable. Secondly, some covers provide extra safety straps to provide a more secure ride. There are numerous covers available in a wide variety of styles and designs so you may want to shop around to find the best one for your child’s needs. Some even have toys attached to the cover to provide entertainment during the trip through the grocery store. When shopping for a cart cover, make sure it is large enough to fit over the child seat and bar of the shopping carts you most often use and check whether or not it has its own straps to restrain the child or if you have to use the straps on the cart.
Engage your child in the shopping experience
If your child feels included while shopping, he may be more likely to sit safely in the cart through the whole trip. Talk with him about the choices of products you are buying. Let him help pick out some of the items, if he’s old enough and talk about what you will use the items for at home. If your child is old enough, let her help you read the grocery list and check off items as they are put in the cart. Or she can hold a calculator and add up the cost of your purchases. Even toddlers can be involved by using a list with pictures instead of words or using a cheap calculator and let them pretend to add up purchases. Keeping your child involved and entertained can not only make your shopping trip safer, but also more enjoyable for you both.
Use these tips to protect your child from shopping cart falls and injuries every time you shop!
Don’t let A Predator Make Your Child a Victim
As Parents we want to protect our children from all harm and evil! We can’t! But we can be informed and keep our children savvy and enlightened!
There are predators out there and our children are their targets. What I’m going to talk about will shock and horrify you. It will make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Some of you might even want to stop reading here because this is the subject of horror movies and nightmares. This is something most of us would rather die than imagine happen to our children. But I implore you to continue, this is too important to ignore.
As a medical professional, I have seen firsthand the toll something like this can take on a child. The effects are devastating and life long. The incidence of crimes against children is on the rise. I’m sorry to have to tell you that unfortunately the times we live in are too dangerous to turn a blind eye.
I have some staggering statistics that are probably going to make you sick. I also have some tools to EMPOWER YOU and your CHILDREN! You do not need to be a helpless victim!
According to family watchdog an online Sex Offender Registry
- 1 of 5 girls and 1 of 6 boys will be molested before their 18th birthday.
- 90% of all sexual assaults against children are committed by someone whom the victim knew.
- The typical sexual predator will assault 117 times before being caught.
- The re-arrest rate for convicted child molesters is 52%.
- That your child will become a victim of a sex offender is 1 in 3 for girls & 1 in 6 for boys. **Source: The National Center for Victims of Crime
- Over 2,000 children are reported missing every day.
Background on Registered Sex Offender Laws:
The U.S. Congress has passed several laws that require states to monitor registered sex offenders; the Jacob Wetterling Crimes against Children Act, the Pam Lychner Sex Offender tracking and Identification Act and Megan’s Law.
On March 5, 2003, The Supreme Court ruled that information about registered sex offenders may be posted on the Internet. Good for us!
Let’s take advantage of these laws!!! This is Not about Vigilantism! This is about being INFORMED! This is about KNOWING where REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS in YOUR AREA LIVE and WORK!!
Here are some excellent places to start:
- National Sex Offender Public Website where you can search by name
- National Alert Registry
- Search for Sex Offenders in your area if there are offenders in your area there is a key to show you where they work and where they live. You can click on these boxes and a picture of the offender will pop up.
- iTouch also has 2 great applications! 1 is free. It allows you to download 3 free searches of Registered Sex offenders in your Area. For a Small one time fee you can download the full program which lets you search whatever zip code you want! This would be very useful while traveling!
- The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children “NCMEC” is a WEALTH of information!! As the nation’s resource center for protecting children they have NUMEROUS free online downloadable publications that EVERY parent needs to take advantage of! Their prevention and safety education programs and materials contain information and tips that will help you keep your children safer. I suggest you go to this site at your leisure and READ READ READ!! It could very well save you some heartache!
For decades, children were taught to stay away from “strangers.” But this concept is difficult for children to grasp and often the perpetrator is someone the child knows. It is more beneficial to help build Children’s confidence and teach them to respond to a potentially dangerous situation, rather than teaching them to look out for a particular type of person.
Here are some tips to help you take some first steps to help them avoid becoming a victim:
- Make sure you know where each of your children is at all times. Know your children’s friends and be clear with your children about the places and homes they may visit. Make it a rule for your children to check-in with you when they arrive at or depart from a particular location and when there is a change in plans. You should also let them know when
you’re running late or if your plans have changed to show the rule is for safety purposes and not being used to “check up” on them. - Never leave children unattended in a vehicle, whether it is running or not. Children should never be left unsupervised or allowed to spend time alone or with others in vehicles as the potential dangers to their safety outweigh any perceived convenience or “fun.” Remind children to never hitchhike, approach a vehicle, or engage in a conversation with anyone within a vehicle they do not know and trust. Also they should never go anywhere with anyone without first getting your permission.
- Be involved in your children’s activities. As an active participant you’ll have a better opportunity to observe how the adults in charge interact with your children. If you are concerned about anyone’s behavior, take it up with the sponsoring organization.
- Listen to your children. Pay attention if they tell you they don’t want to be with someone or go somewhere. This may be an indication of more than a personality conflict or lack of interest in the activity or event.
- Notice when anyone shows one or all of your children a great deal of attention or begins giving them gifts. Take the time to talk to your children about the person and find out why that person is acting in this way.
- Teach your children they have the right to say NO to any unwelcome, uncomfortable, or confusing touch or actions by others and get out of those situations as quickly as possible. If avoidance is not an option, children should be taught to kick, scream, and resist. When in such a situation, teach them to loudly yell, “This person is not my father/mother/guardian,” and then immediately tell you if this happens. Reassure them you’re there to help and it is okay to tell you anything.
- Be sensitive to any changes in your children’s behavior or attitude. Encourage open communication and learn how to be an active listener. Look and listen to small cues and clues indicating something may be troubling your children, because children are not always comfortable disclosing disturbing events or feelings. This may be because they are concerned about your reaction to their problems. If your children do confide problems to you, strive to remain calm, reassuring, and nonjudgmental. Listen compassionately to their concern, and work with them to get the help they need to resolve the problem.
- Be sure to screen babysitters and caregivers. Many jurisdictions now have a public registry allowing parents and guardians to check out individuals for prior criminal records and sex offenses. Check references with other families who have used the caregiver or babysitter. Once you have chosen the caregiver, drop in unexpectedly to see how your children are doing. Ask your children how the experience with the caregiver was, and carefully listen to the responses.
- Practice basic safety skills with your children. Make an outing to a mall or park a “teachable” experience in which your children practice checking with you, using pay telephones, going to the restroom with a friend, and locating the adults who may be able to help if they need assistance. Remember, allowing your children to wear clothing or carry items in public on which their name is displayed may bring about unwelcome attention from inappropriate people looking for a way to start a conversation with your children.
- Remember there is no substitute for your attention and supervision. Being available and taking time to really know and listen to your children helps build feelings of safety and security. 1
In conclusion, YOU HAVE A RIGHT to keep your children safe!
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You have the right to know if Registered Sex Offenders are in your neighborhood! Be aware!
- Check the registry by location for sex offenders located near Daycare centers, Schools, Camps, Church or anyplace you may be leaving your children, even Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
- Check the registry by name for Church Officials, Teachers, Neighbors, Counselors, Private instruction Tutors, Bus Drivers, after school Activities leaders, Coaches etc.
- Check them often. Take nothing for granted. Everyone is suspect.
- Consult NCMEC’s prevention and safety education programs and materials for additional steps you and your children can take to help them feel empowered, and to know what they can do if they find themselves in a situation where they feel scared or compromised.
- Finally, observe and listen; and TEACH CHILDREN to recognize and respond to anything that scares them. Children are very perceptive by nature. You are not ruining their childhood by talking to them when they are young. You may just be saving it!
Sex offenders place themselves in situations where children are! They make themselves appeal to children. This is NO Accident! Be SAVVY. We have the tools to fight these predators! LET’S USE THEM!
Leslie Mayorga R.N. BSN
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110 Child Deaths Were ‘Preventable’ – More Than Just a Headline
A headline in the July 18th UK & World News section of the Sunday Sun read “110 child deaths were ‘preventable’.” The article continued on to provide a bit more detail: ”of 2,000 deaths recorded between April 1, 2008 and March 31, 2009, 110 were deemed to have been preventable. The South West of England had the highest proportion of deaths which could have been stopped (15%) and the North West had the lowest (2%), according to the figures released on Thursday. ” What terribly cold statistics for such a heartbreaking scenario as a child death. And what an outrage – 110 preventable deaths! How is that possible today…and in the UK? But there is more to consider here than just these numbers …there is another message here that we can’t afford to overlook.
According to UK Children’s Minister Baroness Morgan, “Every death of a child is a tragedy and the Government is focusing relentlessly on children’s safety to drive improvements in practice and continue to learn lessons. That is why we introduced a new duty on local authorities to review ALL child deaths, enabling lessons to be learnt and actions taken to prevent deaths in the future. ” Lessons are being learned that target all potential danger areas, from threats of abuse and neglect, to accidents, bullying and suicidal behaviour. (Sunday Sun July 18, 2009)
The message we can’t and shouldn’t miss – is that the numbers are actually being counted. Someone is paying attention! Minister Morgan said that “England is the first country in the world to have implemented a multi-agency reviewing system on a national basis and this first year has included a wide range of causes, from deaths due to illness and road traffic accidents to suicides and murders…It is all our responsibilities to make sure we are doing all we can to keep our children safe.” Some may grumble and say it was a response to tragic circumstances that caused the British Government to create the current policies. And perhaps that’s true…however I think it’s worth remembering that tragedies occur in all our societies… What matters is what happens next when the dust settles; we need to be able to ask ourselves have we put anything in place that demonstrates that when we say “never again” we mean it? …and we need to answer YES and believe it.
So once again I read the headline “110 child deaths were preventable” and although I am incredibly angry that there is even 1 child death that could have been prevented I am also incredibly grateful that somewhere, someone is keeping watch over the children.
And I pray that the lessons learned from that aren’t just in the UK.
