Who is KIDS ‘N CARS ™? KIDS ‘N CARS ™ is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to pursue a greater level of public safety by addressing vehicle related non-traffic incidents that lead to injury or death when children who are left unattended in or around a vehicle. Why is KIDS ‘N CARS ™ doing this? People are needlessly being injured or die because children are being left unattended in or around vehicles. These preventable incidents can be eliminated. Why shouldn’t I leave children unattended in a vehicle? Many things can happen to a child left alone in a vehicle. They include: abduction, child setting the vehicle in motion, heat exhaustion, hypothermia, trunk entrapment, injury or death, just to name a few. What can I do to help? There are several things you can do to help. Teach your children not to play in or around cars. Never leave your children unattended in and around a vehicle. Learn about the dangers of leaving a child unattended in or around a vehicle. Do not be afraid to tell parents or caregivers about the dangers when you see anyone leaving children unattended in a vehicle. Leave a “Not Even for a Minute” flyer on the windshield of any vehicles that have children left unattended. Stay with the children if you can. Call 911 if the responsible party does not return within 5 minutes. (or sooner if you fear the children are in eminent danger) Write to us and send us newspaper clippings about any incidents involving children being left unattended in or around a vehicle. Volunteer to help KIDS ‘N CARS ™ with this important cause. Donate. We simply will not be able to continue this work without the support of regular citizens like you. Is it safe to leave children locked in a vehicle? No. The child inside can get out of their car safety seat or seatbelt and set the vehicle in motion or harm themselves or others. Even if a bystander was watching and wanted to help they would not be able to assist. If it is warm outside and I leave the window of my car slightly open, will my children be safe if I leave them unattended? No. Even though the window(s) is slightly open, temperatures inside the car can raise to deadly extremes in a very short period of time. (<10-15 minutes) What if my child gets in my vehicle without my knowledge? To prevent such an occurrence, always lock the doors and trunk of your car, and keep the keys out of children’s sight and reach. Children are curious and should never be exposed to the dangers of being alone in a vehicle. Keep the rear fold-down seats closed to help prevent kids from getting into the trunk from inside the car. Does my state currently have laws regarding children being left unattended in a vehicle? Visit the KIDS ‘N CARS ™ website @ . Check the “State Laws” section. Where can I get more information regarding children’s safety? Visit the KIDS ‘N CARS ™ website @ http://www.kidsncars.org. Check out the “Links” section. Wouldn’t it be more convenient to leave my child in the car while I run a quick errand? Convenient, yes; but our children should not be sacrificed for “our convenience.” Is your child’s safety and well being worth saving a minute or two? Were charges filed against the parents of the two and three-year-old children that caused the death of Harrison Struttmann? NO! The parents were not issued one citation, not even child endangerment regarding the well-being of their own children. Would leaving a child unattended in a vehicle be considered child endangerment? Not necessarily. The prosecuting attorney solely makes the decision. In the Struttmann’s case, an obvious case of extreme irresponsibility, the prosecuting attorney did NOT file charges. Do we need a law prohibiting children left unattended in or around vehicles? Yes. Without a law, police are unable to issue a citation, even in the most extreme cases. The KIDS ‘N CARS ™ organization is not dealing with car safety seat issues. If you would like detailed and further information about car safety seats please visit our “Links” section for organizations that specialize in this area. Be sure to always “Buckle Up.!” EXTRA! NHTSA Issues Consumer Advisory On Side Airbags And Child Safety. An advisory has been issued for owners of passenger cars and light trucks equipped with side airbags. Children who are seated in close proximity to a side airbag may be at risk of serious or fatal injury, especially if the child's head, neck, or chest is in close proximity to the airbag at the time of deployment. Owners of these vehicles should check with manufacturers regarding whether it is safe for children to sit next to the side airbags. Children 12 and under should always travel in the rear seat and use an age-appropriate restraint. As an extra precaution, NHTSA has asked each manufacturer of vehicles with rear side airbags to ship the vehicles with these airbags deactivated and to advise current owners that dealers will deactivate their airbags if carrying children in the rear outboard seats.