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Change in routine leads to kids being left in cars, say experts

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Mental fatigue is also among the factors behind such incidents, according to a survey by the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research.

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Free Malaysia Today
Miros senior research officer Khairul Alhapiz Ibrahim says the first five to 15 minutes when a child is trapped in a car are crucial.

PETALING JAYA:
Experts have identified sudden changes in routine as a main reason parents forget their children and leave them unattended in cars.

Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (Miros) senior research officer Khairul Alhapiz Ibrahim said the institute conducted a survey in 2022 to study the reasons behind cases of children left in cars.

Based on the survey, Khairul said the main reason for such cases was a change in daily routine.

He said other reasons included children being obscured from view by the seat of the car, and mental fatigue.

“If one of the parents usually sends the child to daycare, the other parent may forget to drop the child off when there is a change in routine,” Khairul said.

Khairul also said the first five to 15 minutes when a child is trapped in a car are crucial.

“It is important to have cooling measures like air circulation provided to the child in the first five minutes, because you need to regulate the temperature as quickly as possible,” he said.

Khairul said once the 15-minute window is up, the child will likely suffer from paediatric vehicular heatstroke, where the child’s body temperature rises significantly, affecting the organs and possibly leading to death.

He urged parents to prioritise their child’s safety by scheduling reminders at appropriate times to avoid leaving their children in the car.

Free Malaysia Today
Safety activist K Balasupramaniam says that multitasking and last-minute changes in plans are among other reasons why parents forget their children in the car.

Safety activist K Balasupramaniam also said that multitasking and last-minute changes in plans often cause parents to forget about their children in the car.

He said checklists to prioritise daily tasks and placing valuables in the backseat together with the child would reduce the likelihood of parents forgetting their children.

“You can also download a radio app on your phone and put your phone in the child seat with the radio on. So when you turn off the engine and the music is still on, you begin to check the back seat where your child is,” he said.

Balasupramaniam also urged the community to be aware of unattended children in cars and to act quickly when they encounter such situations.

“If the child is placed in the back seat, break the front window and recover the child. Then, try to bring them under the shade while slightly lifting up their legs, and get room temperature water to cool their body down.

“If the child is not breathing, perform CPR by giving two puffs and 30 compressions and immediately rush them to the hospital,” he said.

Enhancing child safety

Khairul said Miros was developing a prototype system called the Miros Children in Vehicle Tracking and Alerting System (MyCINTA), which uses audio and motion sensors to detect a child’s presence in cars.

According to the MyCINTA project leader, the system will activate once the vehicle’s engine is turned off, which will then trigger audio and motion sensors.

“When a child’s presence is detected, SMS notifications with the coordinates of the vehicle’s location will be sent to the numbers registered in the system,” he said.

Khairul said the system will then proceed to carry out first aid emergency responses for the child.

“First, the windows will be lowered to a certain height for air circulation. Then, the hazard lights will be turned on, along with a text-based LED message with the word ‘help’ displayed at the window to attract bystanders’ attention,” he said.

Khairul said the MyCINTA prototype is designed to be retrofitted, to accommodate vehicles already on the road. The team hopes for a pilot installation to be carried out next year.

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