Hot Car Deaths: Should Government Mandate Technology?

This week brought hot September temperatures, as well as the latest tragic death of a child left unattended in a hot car. And, again, some are looking for solutions beyond reminders to parents.

A father in Maryland was charged with involuntary manslaughter earlier this week. His small son was left in a hot car all day and pronounced dead after being found unresponsive in the afternoon.

In Georgia, a father was indicted by a grand jury this week on eight counts related to the death of his son in June.

Lindsey Rogers-Seitz lost her son in July when he was left in a hot car by his father in Connecticut. Now, she is calling on the government to require new technology in vehicles to prevent hot car deaths.

Should the government demand safety measures? Tell us in the comments section below.

There have been at least 26 child heatstroke deaths in cars so far in 2014, and 44 in all of 2013, according to researchers at San Jose State University.

Federal, state and nonprofit campaigns have tried to bring awareness to hot car deaths. SafeCar.gov notes heatstroke can occur in a car even on cloudy days when the temperature is below 70 degrees.

Temperatures inside a car can rise up 20 degrees in just 10 minutes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Read More:

• Boy Invents Life-Saving Device to Prevent Child Deaths
• Man Visits Jail, Allegedly Leaves Children in Hot Car
• A Mother Remembers: I Left My Baby In a Hot Car
• Infant Rescued After Being Accidentally Locked in Hot Car