Device designed by Valley inventor helps parents not forget their children in cars
Jun 20, 2014, 5:00 AM | Updated: 5:00 am
PHOENIX — A local inventor has designed a new device to remind parents that their children are in the car seat — with the intention of reducing the number of children who die after being left in hot cars.
“There are so many wonderful people out there working hard trying to eliminate this tragedy,” said Amber Rollins of KidsnCars.org.
The nonprofit is aims to prevent injuries and deaths of children in and around vehicles.
Scott McDonald invented the patent-pending Aviso Child-in-Car Alert. The device, which is wired into a vehicle’s technology, can detect the weight of the child. Once the car ignition is turned off, a series of beeps will alert the driver that there is a child in the car. After several minutes, the horn will begin to sound.
Experts caution parents on relying only on memory when it comes to having children in the backseat.
“The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently did a study and determined the few devices that are on the market currently were found to be unreliable in one way or another,” said Rollings. “The best thing you can do for your child is never saying this can’t happen to you. Don’t ever leave your child in the car.”
According to KidsnCars.org, there have been 13 deaths across the nation already this year regarding kids left behind in a parked vehicle.
