Requires rear occupant alert systems in certain vehicles

• Democratic1

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Cordell Cleare says this is needed

In the past twenty-five years, nearly one thousand children have died of heatstroke because they were left or became trapped in a hot car (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). Even on cool days, temperatures within parked cars can rise significantly within a short period of time. On average, a car can heat up 19 degrees Fahrenheit in just ten minutes. A child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than that of an adult, making them especially vulnerable to heat stoke when left or trapped inside of a car. The unfortunate truth is that many children who die from heatstroke are left in a car by their parent or caregiver. Often, this occurs due to what neuroscientist David M. Diamond has described as the "Fatal Distraction." Essentially, parents will drive somewhere that they often go alone, such as work, and go into "autopilot mode and lose awareness of the child in the back seat." If the child is silent or sleeping in the back of the car, the parent may walk into the office without realiz- ing that the child is still there. Rear occupant alert systems would directly address instances of the "fatal distraction" by issuing a reminder to check the rear seats for occupants when the ignition of the vehicle is turned off. Heat stroke deaths of children and pets are avoidable. This legislation would ensure that in newly manufactured vehicles there is a system in place to remind parents and caregivers that there is a passenger in the rear seat to combat the too frequent instances of death or permanent injury from heatstroke.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.