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Reducing Risks: Children Unattended in Cars
As the summer begins, half a dozen heat-related deaths to young children in parked cars have already occurred. Incidents like these are not isolated events; they occur every year throughout the warmer months and can happen to any family. About three-quarters of these deaths result when adults leave children unattended, either intentionally or unintentionally, and most often without awareness of the potential risks.
Fast Facts
Heat-related deaths to 255 children in parked vehicles:
- 20% were children who climbed into the car and couldn’t get out;
- 22% were overlooked by the adults driving them;
- 22% occurred when adults forgot to drop them at daycare and went to work instead;
- 12% were left by adults in order to run errands, let the child sleep or as a substitute for childcare.
Source: Guidelines for Developing Educational Materials to Address Children Unattended in Vehicles.
Increased media attention and changes in state laws in recent years have led many organizations to create materials meant to raise awareness and change behaviors and polices. But there has been little guidance to assist them in producing effective, accurate and reliable materials or to evaluate those that exist. Guidelines for Developing Educational Materials to Address Children Unattended in Vehicles, created by HHD, is designed for organizations that want to help prevent children from being left unattended in vehicles.
Based on an assessment of existing print materials on this issue, the guidelines are grounded in research and incorporate solid health communication theories. When the ten steps in this publication are followed, the resulting materials are more likely to be accurate, effective and create real change in people’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. While these guidelines are tailored to heat-related injuries, the principles can be applied to develop outreach materials that address other potential threats or dangers to children or adults.
Developing and disseminating materials that are known to be effective—tested and evaluated with the intended audiences—will ultimately benefit young children, the adults who care for them, and the organizations dedicated to keeping them safe.
Questions or comments about the guidelines can be directed to Anara Guard at aguard@edc.org or 617-969-7100.
June 2, 2008 |
