NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett, the Tennessee Hospital Association, and the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association today reminded parents to use the free ‘Baby in the Back’ car hangtag program during the summer months to help reduce heat-related illnesses and deaths in children.
Since its launch, almost 600,000 Tennesseans have requested these free car hangtags. They serve as a reminder for drivers to always check their vehicles before locking them on hot days. Passersby who see a tag displayed from a vehicle’s mirror may also be prompted to check and make sure no child has been left inside.
“Baby in the Back is a small way to help raise awareness about the dangers of summertime heat and humidity and their effects on children,” said Secretary Hargett. “I am grateful to the Tennessee Hospital Association and the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association, as well as the Tennessee Department of Health, the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, and AAA for their continued partnership as we all work together to prevent these tragedies involving our youngest Tennesseans. Thanks also to State Rep. Scott Cepicky for approaching us with his idea for this lifesaving program and for his trust in our office to administer it.”
During periods of extreme heat, interior temperatures of parked cars can quickly approach 140 degrees. On average, one child dies from heatstroke in a car every 10 days. In more than half of the deaths, caregivers have tragically forgotten that the child they were caring for was inside a vehicle.
“Every year 85,000 babies are born in Tennessee hospitals, and we want to do everything we can to protect their health and wellbeing throughout childhood,” said Wendy Long, M.D., President and CEO of the Tennessee Hospital Association. “We are proud to partner with Secretary Hargett and other organizations to support this simple yet powerful tool that can help parents and other caregivers prevent a heartbreaking mistake.”
While hot car deaths involving children are preventable, nationally, at least 1,138 children have died in hot cars over the last 35 years; an additional 7,500 children have survived with various degrees of injury, according to data compiled by Kids and Car Safety.
“This program will support the ongoing efforts of our membership and Tennessee’s law enforcement communities in keeping children and their families safe during the summer months,” said Sheriff Jeff Bledsoe, Executive Director of the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association, “Our Sheriffs are thankful to Secretary Hargett for providing this unique resource that will increase awareness around this critical issue, and I encourage parents and caregivers to obtain their free hangtag today.”
Tennesseans can request free hangtags online through the Secretary of State’s office by visiting https://sos.tn.gov/requesthangtags.
