Guest editorial: Mind the rear seat before walking away The (Fredericksburg) Free Lance-Star Jul 1, 2022 Jul 1, 2022 Updated Aug 5, 2023 1 of 3 Getty Images TRT This graphic from Kids and Car Safety shows how quickly air bag deaths to children fell, while deaths due to hot cars continued to climb. TRT This chart from Kids and Car Safety shows the number of children dying in hot cars climbing steadily from 1990 to 2021. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save The (Fredericksburg) Free Lance-Star No parent wants to outlive their child. For some, the loss of a child is simply too much to bear.kAm~? %F6D52J[ 2? `g\>@?E9\@=5 E@55=6C 5:65 :? r96DE6C7:6=5 r@F?EJ 27E6C E96 72E96C =67E E96 49:=5 :? 2 9@E 42C 7@C “D6G6C2= 9@FCD[” 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 AC6DD C6=62D6 7C@> E96 @C82?:K2E:@? z:5D 2?5 r2C $276EJ] !@=:46 =2E6C 7@F?5 E96 72E96C 369:?5 E96 72>:=J 9@>6[ E96 G:4E:> @7 2 D6=7\:?7=:4E65 8F?D9@E H@F?5]k^AmkAm%9:D 5:77:4F=E\E@\72E9@> EC2865J D9@F=5 D6CG6 2D 2 C6>:?56C E@ 36 6DA64:2==J >:?57F= H96?6G6C 49:=5C6? 2C6 :? 2 G69:4=6]k^Am kAmrFCC6?E=J[ ':C8:?:2 C2?<D }@] h ?2E:@?H:56 7@C E96 ?F>36C @7 49:=5C6? H9@ 92G6 5:65 :? 2 9@E 42C[ 2 E@E2= @7 bd[ D:?46 `hh_] ~7 E96 bd 562E9D[ ab @44FCC65 3642FD6 E96 49:=5C6? H6C6 F?<?@H:?8=J =67E 369:?5]k^Am People are also reading… Lawsuit against state trooper on behalf of Franklin County girl moves forward 12-year-old arrested in death of classmate who was hit in the head by a metal water bottle Rocky Mount man charged with killing his brother Franklin County considers 7-cent real estate tax increase Smith Mountain Lake saw increase in boating incidents and deaths in 2025 Lake Days gets students up close to nature at Smith Mountain Lake Martinsville council moves toward releasing forensic audit after months of secrecy 2 Franklin County softball players among those to watch in Southwest Virginia Budget woes complicate residents' push for new dog park in Franklin County Cyanobacteria up in Smith Mountain Lake, but no harmful algal blooms last year Smith Mountain Lake State Park lecture series wraps up on Sunday Kids invited to annual Cops and Bobbers event by Rocky Mount PD Blacksburg elementary principal among 17 men arrested in prostitution case Many Virginians drop ACA coverage and more likely will, SCC hears This Rocky Mount police dog focuses on head pats instead of patrols kAmr9:=5C6? 2C6 >@DE =:<6=J E@ 36 =67E :? 2 42C E92E’D A2C<65 2E E96:C C6D:56?46 @C :? 2 A2C<:?8 =@E[ 244@C5:?8 E@ C6D62C49 3J z:5D 2?5 r2C $276EJ]k^AmkAm}2E:@?H:56[ E96D6 562E9D 92G6 366? DE625:=J 4=:>3:?8 D:?46 `hh_[ 244@C5:?8 E@ zr$] p?5 E96 DF>>6C >@?E9D @7 |2J E9C@F89 pF8FDE 2C6 E96 >@DE 5625=J] (6 42? C6G6CD6 E9:D EC6?5[ 3FE :E H:== E2<6 E9C66 7@C46D 4@>:?8 E@86E96C E@ >2<6 :E 92AA6?]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8mt5F42E:@?ik^DEC@?8m x? E96 `hh_D[ E96C6 H2D 2 D92CA DA:<6 :? E96 ?F>36C @7 49:=5C6? <:==65 3642FD6 @7 7C@?E\D62E 2:C 328D] %96D6 328D 56A=@J H:E9:? >:==:D64@?5D @7 2 4@==:D:@?[ 2?5 2E 2 DA665 @7 2D >F49 2D a__ >A9] %9:D 7@C46 :D =6E92= E@ 49:=5C6? :? C62C\724:?8 42C D62ED A=2465 :? E96 7C@?E A2DD6?86C D62E]k^Am kAm%96 }2E:@?2= w:89H2J %C277:4 $276EJ p5>:?:DEC2E:@? :? E96 `hh_D =2F?4965 2? 288C6DD:G6 42>A2:8? E@ 92G6 A2C6?ED 2=H2JD AFE 49:=5C6? 2?5 E96:C 42C D62ED 369:?5 E96 7:CDE C@H] %96 C6DF=E H2D 2 D92CA 564=:?6 :? 562E9D] %@52J[ E96D6 EJA6D @7 562E9D 2C6 AC24E:42==J F?962C5 @7]k^Am kAmvC62E6C ?2E:@?H:56 2H2C6?6DD 42>A2:8?D 23@FE E96 52?86CD @7 =62G:?8 49:=5C6? :? 42CD 42? 8@ 2 =@?8 H2J E@H2C5 4FC3:?8 E9:D EC@F3=:?8 EC6?5 @7 49:=5 562E9D :? 9@E 42CD] zr$ :D @?6 @7 E96 @C82?:K2E:@?D =625:?8 E96 H2J]k^AmkAmkDEC@?8mx?5FDECJ AC6DDFC6ik^DEC@?8m pFE@>2<6CD 92G6 9:DE@C:42==J 366? D=@H E@ 25@AE D276EJ :??@G2E:@?D :? E96:C G69:4=6D] %@ 86E E96> E@ 5@ D@[ ?@?AC@7:E @C82?:K2E:@?D 92G6 2C:D6? E@ 7@C46 E96> E@ AFE D276EJ 7:CDE] %96 >@DE DF446DD7F= 6I2>A=6 :D E96 x?DFC2?46 x?DE:EFE6 7@C w:89H2J $276EJ[ H9@D6 E6DE EC24< 2?5 4C2D9\E6DE 724:=:E:6D 2C6 ;FDE ?@CE9 @7 r92C=@EE6DG:==6]k^Am kAm%9C@F89 :ED C6D62C49[ xxw$ 92D C2:D65 2H2C6?6DD @7 42CD’ 4C2D9H@CE9:?6DD[ E96 9F>2? 724E@CD :?G@=G65 :? 4C2D96D[ 2D H6== 2D 6?G:C@?>6?E2= 724E@CD E92E 27764E D276EJ] xED 9:89=J G2=F65 %@A $276EJ !:4< !=FD 2?5 %@A $276EJ !:4< 2H2C5D 92G6 >@E:G2E65 2FE@>2<6CD E@ :?DE2== 25G2?465 D276EJ 762EFC6D 2?5 62C? E96D6 2H2C5D] %96D6 2H2C5D 92G6 D:?46 364@>6 A@H6C7F= >2C<6E:?8 E@@=D E92E 96=A 2FE@>2<6CD D6== >@C6 42CD] xE’D 2 H:?\H:?]k^AmkAm~C82?:K2E:@?D E92E 42? AFD9 2FE@>2<6CD E@ DA665 E96 25@AE:@? @7 C62C\D62E C6>:?56CD 2?5 @E96C 2=6CE DJDE6>D E92E H2C? @H?6CD D@>6@?6 :D =@4<65 :? 2 42C 42? 96=A 5C:G6 5@H? 562E9 C2E6D]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8mv@G6C?>6?Eik^DEC@?8m x? 255:E:@? E@ :?5FDECJ AC6DDFC6[ 8@G6C?>6?E 42? >2?52E6 2FE@>2<6CD E@ :?4=F56 D276EJ 762EFC6D E92E H@F=5 AC6G6?E 49:=5 562E9D :? 9@E 42CD] !C6G:@FD D276EJ >2?52E6D E92E =@H6C65 A2DD6?86C 562E9 C2E6D :?4=F56i D62E36=ED[ 42C\D62E C6DEC2:?E DJDE6>D W4@>>@?=J 42==65 {p%rwX[ 2?5 C62CG:6H 42>6C2D]k^Am kAmpD E96D6 E9C66 7@C46D H@C< E@ 255C6DD 49:=5 562E9D :? 9@E 42CD[ :E’D :>A6C2E:G6 E92E 42C @H?6CD E2<6 :E FA@? E96>D6=G6D E@ 6?DFC6 E92E E96C6 :D ?@ 49:=5 W@C A6EX :? E96 324< D62E @7 2 42C H96? H2=<:?8 2H2J]k^Am kAm%96 C62D@?D <:5D 2C6 F?<?@H:?8=J =67E 369:?5 G2CJ] %96 >@DE 4@>>@?[ 9@H6G6C[ :D E92E E96 5C:G6C H2D DFAA@D65 E@ 5C@A E96 <:5 @77 2E 52J 42C6 2?5 7@C8@E] ~E96C C62D@?D :?4=F56 >:D4@>>F?:42E:@? 36EH66? 42C68:G6CD[ 2?5 2 42C68:G6C F?<?@H:?8=J =62G:?8 2 <:5 :? E96 42C]k^AmkAmz:5D 2=D@ 5:6 3642FD6 E96J 82:? 2446DD E@ 2 42C H:E9@FE 2?J@?6 <?@H:?8] $@ H96? A2C<65 2E 9@>6[ <66A J@FC 5@@CD =@4<65]k^AmkAmr2CD 962E FA G6CJ BF:4<=J] p?5 562E9 42? 4@>6 E@ 49:=5C6? :? 2 >2EE6C @7 >:?FE6D] uFCE96C[ :E 5@6D?’E 92G6 E@ 36 `__ 568C66D 7@C E9:D E@ 92AA6?] $:?46 `hh_[ E96C6 92G6 366? D:I 49:=5C6? H9@ 5:65 3642FD6 E96J H6C6 =67E :? 42CD H96C6 E96 @FED:56 E6>A6C2EFC6 H2D =6DD E92? d_ 568C66D] p?5 gc 92G6 5:65 H:E9 E96 @FE5@@C E6>A6C2EFC6 36EH66? f_ 2?5 fh 568C66D]k^Am kAm(:E9 E6>A6C2EFC6D C:D:?8 C:89E ?@H[ 4964<[ 5@F3=6\4964<[ 2?5 EC:A=6\4964< J@FC 324< D62E 367@C6 H2=<:?8 2H2J 7C@> E96 42C]k^Am kAm(96? :E 4@>6D E@ @FC 49:=5C6? 2?5 @FC 42CD[ H6 42?’E 36 E@@ 42C67F=]k^Am Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story
