PATTAYA, Thailand – In response to the alarming trend of children left unattended in parked cars, the Child Development Center at Wat Sutthawat Temple orchestrated an intense safety program recently. The initiative, a pivotal aspect of the year-long Early Childhood Safety Project, sought to instil crucial survival skills in children, arming them against the potential dangers of being trapped in a vehicle.
Amidst enthusiastic participation from children and students representing diverse affiliations, the event brought to the forefront the pressing need for awareness and education on this critical issue. The gravity of the situation was emphasized by the center, recognizing the urgent necessity of training children to navigate and survive such perilous circumstances.
Recent tragic incidents, notably the loss of a 7-year-old in Chonburi province in August last year, underscored the stark dangers associated with the negligence of leaving children unattended in cars. This served as a poignant reminder that the consequences of such oversights can be devastating.
Aligned with recommendations from the Department of Disease Control, the program focused on three fundamental actions to prevent the forgetting of children in cars: counting the number of children before entering and after exiting the vehicle, checking before locking car doors, and advocating against leaving a child alone in the car, even momentarily.
Beyond these preventive measures, the center emphasized the importance of empowering children to seek assistance in emergencies. Practical skills such as using the car horn, unlocking doors, and opening windows were imparted to children aged 2 and above. Older children, aged 3-4, were instructed on opening car doors, even if it required substantial effort.
Startling statistics shared during the program revealed 129 reported cases of children being forgotten in cars between 2014 and 2020, resulting in six fatalities due to heat exposure. Notably, all six cases involved children left unattended for over six hours. The alarming trend persisted, with a total of 131 incidents reported to date, prompting a critical call for collective action to prevent further tragedies.
