Appeal to carmakers: Help prevent child deaths in cars

 

 This is an open appeal to all car manufacturers in Malaysia - Perodua, Proton, Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Nissan, and the rest.

We have had three deaths of young children in cars due to thermal injury in the past four to five weeks:

On Oct 5, an eight-month-old baby died in Cheras, KL.

On Oct 25, a 16-month-old child died in Terengganu.

On Nov 9, a two-year-old child died in Ara Damansara, KL.

The devastation that the parents must be experiencing is beyond comprehension. Our hearts go out to the bereaved parents and we hope they receive the support and understanding needed at such a tragic time of loss.

As paediatricians, we are distressed by such child deaths as we know they are preventable. We need to view this as a national crisis and work together to prevent further deaths. A number of mechanisms have been suggested to help with prevention.

Of the suggestions, the most effective is engineering - using technology to make cars safer for children. Many overseas car manufacturers have long incorporated routine safety devices in their vehicles. They include:

1. Car seats with built-in sensors/alarms - These let the driver know through a series of alarms or notifications when a child is still in the seat when the car is turned off. There are also child safety seats with heat sensors.

2. Rear seat reminder - This system gives a routine audio reminder to the driver to check the rear of the car when the engine is switched off or when you open your driver’s door.

3. Child presence detectors or cabin awareness - These are video or sensor-based systems designed to sense micro-movements, heartbeats, or breathing when the car is turned off and alert the driver via an alarm or phone notification.

4. Another simple way is to install seat belt alarms for rear seat passengers that will sound an alarm once the car switches off and the belt buckle is still connected. This technology is already present in many cars and just needs to be incorporated into the rear seat belts.

While increased vigilance by parents, childcare providers, and society is needed, that will not prevent many such deaths. We require mechanisms that go beyond human behaviour.

Injury prevention research has shown that education and behaviour change are poor mechanisms for prevention. Artificial intelligence or hybrid intelligence is the way forward.

Hence, we appeal to all car manufacturers to urgently put in place routine child safety technology in all new cars; if not already installed.

The most promising technologies are rear seat reminders, seat belt alarms, and child presence detectors. In addition, offer, at reasonable prices, to retrofit such technologies in all cars already on the road when they come for routine service inspection.

Car manufacturers have made a large profit from the public, it is time to give back. Please do not allow this deadly trend to continue by inaction. Cars must be safe devices to transport children, not death traps.

Thank you.

Signatories:

1. Dr Amar-Singh HSS

2. Dr See Kwee Ching

3. Dr Selva Kumar Sivapunniam

4. Prof Dr Krishnan Rajam

Consultant paediatricians

- Mkini

---

DR AMAR-SINGH HSS is a consultant paediatrician.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.