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Bill would require warning for children left in hot cars as number of deaths rises
As summer temperatures rise, car safety advocacy groups hoping to draw attention to hot car deaths will be aided by a bill intended to equip new vehicles with technology that detects sleeping children in hot cars. The HOT CARS Act of 2019, which was recently introduced in the House, would require an audible vehicle warning that would alert drivers to someone in the back seat if the engine is turned off. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, who's also a contender in the crowded 2020 Democratic primary race for president, introduced the bill. A similar bill that was introduced in Congress in 2017 failed. "No child should endure the tragedy of dying while trapped in a hot vehicle," he said. "The unfortunate reality is that even good, loving and attentive parents can get distracted."
Look Before You Lock - Plugged into DFW
No one thinks it can happen to them, but Texas ranks #1 when it comes to children dying in hot cars. The Stuyvesant family shares their terrifying story to help raise awareness and prevent hot car tragedies.Watch Show:Toyota Plans to Deploy Automatic Engine Shut Off and Automatic Park Features to Vehicle Line Up
Starting with most Model Year 2020 vehicles, Toyota will provide additional features such as automatic engine shut off or “Auto Shut Off” with an enhanced audible and visual warning to its Smart Key System* (SKS). The Auto Shut Off feature will automatically shut off the engine after a pre-determined period of time in the event the vehicle is left running.
His keyless car killed him while he slept. New legislation could save others
Patricia M. Fish and Russell Fish were married 46 years when he died in his home by carbon monoxide poisoning from his Toyota Forerunner inadvertently left running in the attached garage.
Toyota Has the Most Keyless Ignition Related Deaths, But Takes no Action
Last month, Dr. Sherry Hood Penney, 81, and Dr. James Livingston, 88, died of carbon monoxide poisoning. The couple had inadvertently left their keyless ignition 2017 Toyota Avalon running in the attached garage of their Sarasota condo. The car ran until it was out of gas and its battery died.
Toyota has the most keyless ignition carbon monoxide deaths. It had the first publicly acknowledged deaths and, now the most recent deaths. Yet, Toyota has done nothing to implement a simple, inexpensive software solution that some other major automakers introduced seven years ago.
