LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As the weather gets warmer, it's time to start thinking about what valuables you're leaving in your car. A non-profit organization is travelling the country to raise awareness about keeping your child safe, both inside and outside of your vehicle.
Kids and Cars is in Louisville for the annual Lifesavers Conference, a national conference on highway safety priorities. The conference brings together local, state, and federal highway safety officials, child safety advocates, auto and insurance industry leaders, public health professionals, and more to discuss the "hot topics" of highway safety.
The mission of Kids and Cars is to protect kids in and around vehicles and several members of the organization have personal experiences that fuel their passions. The organization has been pivotal in creating a piece of legislation called the HOT CARS Act in 2017. If passed, this act would require automakers to equip new models with rear seat reminder technology, in the hopes that it will prevent children and pets from being left in the back seat and suffering heat stroke.
According to Kids and Cars, 38 children die in hot cars every year, on average. Last year, 2018, was actually the worst year in history with 51 reported hot car deaths. The technology that Kids and Cars is pushing for could keep that statistic from growing.
The future of the HOT CARS Act is uncertain. Despite receiving bipartisan support, it has proven tough to pass. However, the members of Kids and Cars continue moving forward by reminding parents and guardians of a very simple thing: "Look Before You Lock".
For more information and resources, visit the Kids and Cars website.
Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the WHAS11 News app now.
Have a news tip? Email assign@whas11.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter feed.