Mary N. Parks - Comment

I very much feel that seat belt reminders in all seating positions will save the lives of children. It will be an aide to the driver to know that a child is not buckled with their seat belt. Children take off their seat belts after the driver fastens them in, seat belts can come un-buckled on car seats or the driver could simplify forget to buckle the child in. The driver is responsible for making sure they focus on driving while the car is in motion so they cannot supervise the backseat at all times to ensure seat belts are buckled. A reminder system could monitor it for them and give them prompt warning of the danger. With seat belt reminder systems installed in rear position, there is an opportunity to provide the driver a reminder system for babies where a beep could indicate a child was left in the car. Legislation requiring babies to be put in the backseat saved lives by protecting them from air bags. This however resulted in increasing the risk of a child dying of hyperthermia. There has been a significant increase in hyperthermia deaths since children were moved to the backseat. This is a direct result of how the human memory works and moving the child out of sight. My family knows this tragedy all to well for my son died in 2007 when I unknowingly left him in the car. His life was so precious and he died because our family did not know that it was possible to unknowingly leave a child in the car. Many families are misinformed like ours or they are in denial that such a thing could happen to them. The reminder system will directly save lives on its own but it will also indirectly save lives by promoting awareness of this danger to children. Families will be spared tragedies and young lives will be saved.