Dozens of kids die in hot cars every year—a new bill aims to prevent it
Every year, dozens of young children in the United States die while trapped in overheating cars—including eight kids just last month. New legislation aims to prevent many of these deaths by requiring car manufacturers to create new warning systems to detect kids trapped in cars and sound the alarm before a tragedy occurs.
The New York Times notes that a few car models already have a warning system like this, including the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Santa Fe.
The legislation—co-sponsored by representatives Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), and Pete King (R-N.Y.)—orders the Secretary of Transportation to begin drafting regulations mandating the installation of sensors that can detect a child or pet in a vehicle’s back seat. If the car detects someone inside after the engine has been turned off, it would issue a “distinct auditory and visual alert to notify individuals inside and outside of the vehicle.” Vehicle manufacturers would have two years to implement the technology after the regulation was finalized.
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