CANTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Evenflo, the leading manufacturer of baby and juvenile products, wants parents to keep safety top of mind as we enter the busy summer travel season. In tragic yet preventable occurrences, according to KidsAndCars.org, on average 37 children die each year as result of being left in a hot car, a number that has continued to significantly increase. Last year alone, a record-setting 52 children died of vehicular heatstroke in the U.S. according to noheatstroke.org.
“At Evenflo, safety is a word that is embedded into our DNA and will always be our number one priority for our customers,” said Sarah Haverstick, a Safety Advocate and Child Passenger Safety Technician with Evenflo. “By sharing these tips, we hope everyone will recognize how critical car seat safety is, especially in the summer, and how even the smallest act can save a life.”
Car Safety Tips to Follow This Summer:
- Utilize Available Technology: Newly designed SensorSafe embedded into the SensorSafe™ Smart Chest Clip in the front of Evenflo Gold car seats and the accompanying app gives parents access to important safety insights by providing real-time alerts to their smart devices when unsafe conditions arise—such as a child being too warm or the child being unbuckled in their car seat. If a child is left in the car and the parent doesn’t respond to the app alert, an emergency contact is notified. If multiple alerts are neglected, all of the emergency contacts set up in the app are sent the location of the vehicle using GPS tracking.
- Choose the Right Car Seat and Install Properly: According to Sarah Haverstick, approximately 70% of car seats are not installed properly, which can impact their ability to protect children in the event of a crash. Parents should seek out one of the many certified car seat technicians located across the country to assist with any questions or concerns, including car seat installation and car seat measurements for their specific vehicle.
- Watch Out for Hot Metal Tongues: Another warm weather concern is the metal tongues on a child’s car seat buckle. During hot and sun-filled days, the metal seat buckle can be painful if it comes in contact with children’s skin. The new harness buckle pockets on select Evenflo® car seats help secure these metal tongues and keep them out of the sun.
- Shield Car Seat and Stay Hydrated: A vehicle’s interior can quickly heat up from the sun when it’s been sitting for too long. To help your child’s car seat remain cooler, place a light-colored sheet over the car seat when not in use, such as the Evenflo® Infant Car Seat Weather Shield/Rain Cover. For longer car rides, make sure to plan ahead by stocking a cooler full of water bottles in the trunk of the car. This helps fight dehydration while traveling in a hot car for long periods of time.
- Secure Loose Objects: To limit the threat of projectiles in the vehicle, always keep items such as toys, equipment, bags, etc. in the trunk of the car or on the floorboard of the vehicle. If the car is not equipped with a closed trunk, such as an SUV model, use cargo nets or shields in the back to keep the child safe.
If summer travel is in the future, Evenflo recommends following these tips to ensure a safe trip for the entire family. And to learn more information on SensorSafe™ technology, please visit Evenflo.com/sensorsafe.
About Evenflo
Evenflo Company, Inc. is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of infant and juvenile products. Evenflo was founded in 1920 and is a leading manufacturer of infant and juvenile durable products. The company's product offerings are designed for real parents and include a broad range of essential infant and juvenile product categories, such as on-the-go products like car seats and strollers, as well as in-home gear such as high chairs, safety gates and ExerSaucer. Evenflo is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Goodbaby International Holdings Limited.
