Look before you lock: Eleventh child dies this year after being left in hot car

The latest incident occurred in Lakewood, N.J.

Published: July 16, 2024 2:46pm

Updated: July 16, 2024 2:52pm

A 2-month-old baby girl died after being left inside a vehicle in Lakewood, NJ on Monday, which marks the 15th known hot car death in the state since 1998.

According to Kids and Car Safety, this incident is "at least the 11th child to die in a hot car nationwide this year."

The organization said in a news release it is aware of three "additional child fatalities that could be hot car deaths pending autopsy results."

The organization reported that "at least 1,095 children have died in hot cars nationwide since 1990 and at least another 7,500 survived with varying types and severities of injuries," according to data it has collected.

"Approximately 88% of children who die in hot cars are age 3 or younger and the majority (55%) were unknowingly left by an otherwise loving, responsible parent or caregiver," read a news release from Kids and Car Safety.

The organization is pushing the federal government to require automakers to incorporate an "occupant detection" system, such as an audible alert, into all new vehicles manufactured. 

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration continues to remind drivers to always "look before you lock" your vehicle.

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