Temple Terrace To Host Child's Car Seat Safety Event

TEMPLE TERRACE, FL —As part of its monthlong observance of September as Child Passenger Safety Awareness Month, the City of Temple Terrace, Safe Kids Worldwide and St. Joseph's Hospital is hosting a checkup event to ensure parents have car seats for children properly installed.

The event will take place Saturday, Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. to noon. The child must be present and an appointment is required. Call (813) 615-0589.

According to the United States Department of Transportation, "Vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children. From 2013 to 2017, there were 3,313 children under 13 killed while riding in passenger vehicles — 2017 was the first yearly decrease since 2014. But, about 37 percent of those children killed in 2017 were not buckled at all — these deaths are preventable."

Temple Terrace first-responders kicked off Child Passenger Safety Awareness month Sept. 9, hosting a presentation designed to awaken parents to the dangers of leaving children in hot cars.

Vehicular heatstroke is one of the leading causes of non-crash-related fatalities among children.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 50 children died in parked cars in 2018, and the fatalities this year are on track to equal or exceed this total. Particularly in Florida, the danger does not diminish even as the seasons change.

NoHeatstroke.org reports that the temperature inside a car can reach 110 degrees, even when the temperature outside is as low as 57 degrees.

"We know from past experience that these fatalities can happen any time," said Temple Terrace Fire Chief Ian Kemp. "We don't want any family to have to needlessly suffer such a devastating loss. That's why we are asking everyone to help protect kids from this preventable tragedy by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And if you see a child alone in a car, call 911."

Vehicular heatstroke deaths don't just happen when a child is forgotten. The second leading cause (26 percent) of such deaths are children getting trapped in unattended vehicles, according to NoHeatstroke.org.

"Get in the habit of always locking your car doors and trunk, year-round, to prevent children from entering a vehicle in your absence," Kemp said.

The Temple Terrace Fire Department and Safe Kids Worldwide highlighted the risk and shared prevention tips. Safe Kids also offered tips for parents to avoid both unintentionally leaving a child or children behind in their vehicles as well as preventing their children from becoming entrapped.

The fire department used a demo car equipped with a temperature gauge inside and out to show parents how quickly the temperature can rise inside a vehicle.