MIAMI (WSVN) - City of Miami officials and Florida Highway Patrol joined forces to provide parents and caregivers with a few tips that can keep their children safe this summer.
To promote Child Safety Awareness, officials gave several educational safety tips, hosted a car seat installation workshop and donated several car seats.
“Leaving a child in a hot car may seem inconceivable, but unfortunately it occurs and the results are often deadly,” said FHP Lt. Alex Camacho.
Officials said 39 children died after being left locked inside a hot car last year, the highest number of deaths related to these types of incidents in history.
On Tuesday, FHP troopers and City of Miami Fire Rescue conducted a child removal simulation to remind residents of the danger that hot vehicles pose to children.
First responders said there are things people can do to prevent tragedies.
“First, look before you lock, and never ever leave a child unattended in a vehicle. Putting your purse, your phone, your tablet, your lunch in the back seat. This is to secure, to make sure that you look in that back seat before you lock the door,” said Camacho.
Officials also advise never to leave a car unlocked as children may accidentally lock themselves inside the vehicle and be unable to get out.
They added keeping a child secured inside the vehicle with a car seat is another crucial part of car safety.
“Florida law requires children aged 5 and under to be secured properly in a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device,” said Camacho.
“It is very important that we not just create the awareness, but communicate with the children too, that they must stay restrained inside their vehicle,” said City of Miami Communications Director Kenia Fallat.
Several parents received car seats as part of the event.
“I’m very grateful for this donation. It’s going to make a hell of a difference,” said a mother.
Officials also said that wearing a seatbelt is the law for everyone inside a car and to always keep children in the back seat, properly secured, until the age of 12.
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