Lockout Tips

Summer is upon us, and soon news headlines are sure to include a few about a child or pet dying due to heatstroke after being left in a car. In 2016, 39 precious children lost their lives due to vehicular heatstroke. This is so heartbreaking because it is so preventable. 24Hr Lockouts wants to offer you these tips to help you avoid an emergency situation. A few extra seconds to follow these tips could save a life.

Remember to Check the Back Seat

Placing something important in the back seat before your trip will help you remember to check the back seat before locking up the car and leaving. This can be your purse or smartphone, or any other item that you are unlike to forget. It can happen to the best of us. We are running around hurriedly to meet deadlines, accomplish every errand on one trip, and beat the traffic jams of rush hour. We can become consumed with the immediate tasks and forget to look in the back seat for the toddler who has fallen asleep. Here’s a specific list to help you remember.

• Leave your wallet, purse, smartphone or other important item on the floor of the back seat when you get into your car. When you leave, you will need to retrieve it and quickly ensure the child seat is empty.
• Use a toy or stuffed animal to occupy the child seat when your kid is not with you. Place the stuffed animal or toy in the passenger seat when your child is with you. This will remind you that your child is in the car seat.
• Put your mobile device on the floor of the back seat. This will keep you from driving while texting as well as ensuring that you open the back door to retrieve it.
• Ask your child’s caregiver to call you if you have not dropped your child off as scheduled. Ask that person to not assume the child is sick and will be missing the day. Ensure that the caregiver has you cell, home, and office phone numbers.

New parents face many challenges and sleep deprivation is one. This can impact your memory, as well as stress and fatigue levels. It’s easy to become distracted and overwhelmed, especially if your child is quiet in the back seat.

A quick run into the store can easily become a disaster. Even if the outside temperature is in the 70s or 80s, the interior of a car can rise to unlivable levels within minutes. In addition, the body temperature of a child or pet can rise more quickly than an adult’s. It can be inconvenient to bring the baby along for a short shopping excursion or leave the dog at home, but it’s so crucial.

If you see a child or pet inside a locked, unattended vehicle, call 911 immediately. Then call 24Hr Lockouts to dispatch a lockout technician immediately.

24Hr Lockouts wishes you a fun, happy, and safe summer!