During these hot summer days it's great to get out and enjoy the weather. Maybe you wanted to go out somewhere but there was no one available to watch over your kids. If you do take your kids with you, wherever you go, please keep their safety at the forefront of your mindset and do NOT leave them in the car by themselves for any reason ... not even for a minute.
The ambient temperature inside of a vehicle on a 80 degree day can reach up to 110 degrees in just 20 minutes. On average there are 37 infant deaths resulting from being left in hot cars per year. I've heard horror stories on the news about infant death resulting from being stuck inside a car and it is something that needs to be brought up and addressed during these hot summer days.
GM recently partnered with Safe Kids USA and together they are aiming to increase public awareness of the issue through education.
From the press release: "A child's core body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's, making them more susceptible to heat stroke – even on a day with mild temperatures," said Lorrie Walker, training manager and technical advisor for Safe Kids USA. "Our goal is to raise awareness of just how dangerous it is to leave a child unattended in a vehicle, as well as to remind parents and caregivers of important safety precautions they can take to avoid this preventable tragedy."
Here's a few tips from GM to ensure that something like this never happens:
Call 911 if they see a child unattended in a vehicle.
Never leave children alone in a vehicle - not even for a minute.
Set your cell phone or Blackberry reminder to be sure you drop your child off at daycare.
Place a cell phone, PDA, purse, briefcase, gym bag or whatever is to be carried from the car on the floor in front of the child in a back seat. This forces the adult to open the back door and observe the child before leaving.
Set your computer "Outlook" program to ask you, "Did you drop off at daycare today?"
Have a plan with your child care provider to call if your child does not arrive when expected.
Check cars and trunks first if a child goes missing.
Here's a little follow-up on how the "Extended Range" mode works in the Volt. Also enjoy the video of a fire team testing out how the Volt will bend, break, and tear apart if it happens to get into an accident.
The Volt is just about here and Earth is anxiously waiting for its eco-friendly arrival. Why not help out the environment while experiencing one of the most high-tech rides of all-time. And at the same time, you can save some green in gas $$$ for driving green? It all seems like a win-win to me. You know what else, though? The fact that if you buy the Volt you could be going home to a professionally installed 240-volt charge station.
The Volt runs in one of three ways. 1. All electric - up to 40 miles on a single charge. 2. Extended range capability (gas/electric mixed) - designed to drive up to 350 miles without stopping to recharge or refuel. 3. Gasoline - will last another 300 miles. Needless to say, the Volt won't be seen filling up too frequently thanks to the power of the electricity. But the Volt must be filled with that electricity stuff to obtain optimal results. You can charge it with your standard 120-volt outlet which will take roughly 8 hours to charge. OR you could go the more express way about things and go with the 240 volt charge station and save yourself, at least, 5 hours (3 hour charge).
With the Volt coming out soon the DOE (Department of Energy) is helping to install roughly 15,000 plug-in vehicle chargers across America to test and get data on this new, industry-changing technology.
From the press release: "At the time of purchase, Volt buyers will receive a portable 120-volt charge cord, and will have the option of installing a 240-volt charge station available from Chevrolet. Volt buyers that live within the program cities may apply for a free 240-volt home charging station through the Coulomb or ECOtality programs if they are willing to share their charging information. Additional consumer information on eligibility requirements and the application process will be available when the Volt goes on sale later this year."
Guess we'll just have to wait and see if any of us in the Tri-State area are within the "program cities" they plan on giving these stations away to. In either case, look forward to the Volt coming our way VERY soon!
I came across this video and like it a lot. There's nothing entertaining here ... it's just S-A-F-E-T-Y. Straightforward, plain and simple, but it's also pretty comprehensive.
It demonstrates how to put in both the front facing type of car seat and the rear facing car carrier with the base attachment. It also shows how to hook up the seats with a seat belt and with the LATCH system (in cars 2002 or newer).
I have installed a car seat or two in my day and I really never thought to put your full weight on the seat or base like the demonstrator does in the video. I have pressed down on the seats and bases in an effort to get them tight and synched up, but seeing the video it makes sense and I'll probably try to tighten up my car seats when I go home tonight.
I know that a lot of car sales people take car seats for granted, but it is really not something that should be overlooked. Case in point: A few years back (before the intoduction of LATCH and when the internet was still considered just a tool for rich geeks and college kids), I was selling a new car to a woman who had just gotten in an accident. Her previous car, a 1984 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Recency sedan, was totalled out and she didn't want to mess around with used cars anymore so she decided to get a brand new one. This customer was moving up 16 years into her new car and there were some major differences between her old car and the new one. Now car salespeople aren't generally in the habit of showing customers how to install a car seat in their new vehicle. We usually just assume that if the customer has a car seat, they'll know how to install it in their new vehicle. In the example above, I didn't show the customer how to install her child's seat, but I did take the time to show her how the seat belts worked. She had never owned a car with retractable, locking belts before so that was new to her. I remember telling her that for car seats to pull it out all the way and that she would hear a clicking sound as it retracted and locked in position. It was just a normal thing that I included in my new car delivery presentation.
I didn't think anything of it until about a month later when I saw the customer out and about. When she saw me, she told me that she owed me a multitude of thanks. She went on to describe how she used my seatbelt demonstration info when she put her baby's car seat in her new car. About two weeks later, she had to slam on her brakes and steer clear of an accident that happended right in front of her. She was shaken up - understandably - because of the accident that happened with her Oldsmobile just three weeks prior to this. But she said it was her instinct to turn around and check on her baby, who was awake and crying, but safe and sound. Then my customer's eyes looked like they were about to well up with tears as she told me she wanted to thank me for telling her about the locking, retractable seatbelts. She said that if I hadn't shown her how the belts worked, that she probably would have installed the seat wrong and her baby might have been injured or worse.
I've worked in car sales for about 11 years now and this was, without a doubt, the most gratifying moment of my tenure in the biz. So if it's relevant to you, please watch the video above. There's nothing entertaining about it ... it's just S-A-F-E-T-Y.
Recent Comments