Kids dying from heat when left unattended in cars is a preventable tragedy that can be avoided, but every year it is the cause of death for an average of 37 children nationwide. I am sponsoring legislation that would forbid leaving a child under the age of 10 inside a motor vehicle under conditions that present a substantial health or safety risk.
The goal of this bill is not to punish parents, but to get their attention and remind them of the dangers. In most cases, the death of young children left in hot cars is often the result of a momentary lapse of judgment. While accidents such as this are hard to regulate, imposing a potential fine for leaving children unattended will cause adults to think twice. As of right now, an officer’s only recourse in this situation is to arrest the parent or caregiver for endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. This legislation would include a fine of $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second, and subsequent violations would result in a $250 fine. Police officers would still have the option to charge a more serious offense in egregious cases.
Forty-three children were killed in 2017 when the car they were left unattended in reached extreme temperatures, according to the advocacy group Kids and Cars.org. The interior of cars can reach 125 degrees in minutes, even if the window is cracked, when the outside temperature is as low as 60 degrees. Overheating in a car is not often thought of as an imminent danger when the outside temperature is not sweltering — but in reality a child left in a vehicle in such conditions is at severe risk of injury.
In addition, adults need to be aware of other dangers leaving a child under the age of 10 in a car unattended creates. The child is at an increased risk of abduction and can create severe danger, such as by an unintended motor vehicle accident, if attempting to operate the car. Young children may not have the ability to make judgments to protect themselves from causing harm or to help themselves when faced with danger.
I introduced and sponsored this legislation at the suggestion of my late wife, Karen Magnarelli, and have worked for many years to secure its passage. The Senate has also passed this bill on several occasions. I am optimistic that it will be passed by both houses and signed into law by the governor before the end of the 2018 Legislative Session.
If you have any questions or comments on this, or any other state issue, or if you would like to be added to my email list to receive my monthly e-newsletter, please contact my office as follows: by mail: 333 E. Washington St. Room 840, Syracuse, NY 13202; by email: [email protected]; or by phone: (315) 428-9651.
