by Dawn Hawkins

Created on: June 12, 2009

There are many dangers that come with leaving a child in a car alone. It is important for parents to understand all of the issues so that you don't make a mistake that can turn tragic. It is not worth the few second that it takes to take your child out of his car seat and inside with you.

Here are some of the dangers associated with leaving your child alone in a car:

Heat

It is extremely dangerous to leave children in a car on a hot day. This is especially true in an enclosed car. There is no way for the child to keep cool in a car. The inside of cars get extremely overheated very quickly. Your child will be in an oven like space and will die if left there for too long. In the very hot months, it only takes a short time to reach death.

Kidnapping

Leaving your child alone in a car invites kidnappers to take her. It takes less than a minute for someone to take off with your child. It then turns into a police hunt and wishing that you had taken the time to get your child out of the car.

When the Car Is Running

Children think of everything is a toy. They love to do what you do. When a child is old enough to get himself out of his car seat, he is also old enough to move the shifter and cause an accident. This is dangerous for the obvious reasons. The child is in danger of death or injury as well as anyone who may be in the area.

Locked Doors

Kids will lock doors. You will often hear of a child who locked her parents out of the car. This is a dangerous issue especially on hot days. Cold days are not better though, because the child can become ill if she gets too cold. If left for too long in the cold, it can cause death as well.

Wandering Off

Children have been known to wander off. If you leave your child alone in a car and he gets too bored or curious about something, you may not be able to find him. He could also wander into traffic where he gets hit and has serious injuries or even death.

Arrest

You run the risk of being arrested for child neglect or abuse if you leave your child in the car alone. If something happens to your child because of your error in judgment, you will be held accountable for it. Laws are much different than they were in the 1970's and earlier. People are more aware of the dangers that are associated with their actions pertaining to their children. The laws reflect this change in knowledge.

Leaving your child in a car alone is neglectful. Any number of things can happen to your child in just a few seconds. It isn't worth the risks that you are taking to do it. Taking a minute or two to get your child out of the car keeps him safe and you out of jail. Take the time to do the right thing.

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