Gone are the days when busy parents had to worry about forgetting their little ones in the backseat. With the launch of its new beta feature, Waze is stepping up to help families by providing reminders to check the backseat for children. We’ve all seen the heart-wrenching stories each summer—parents who, in the midst of hectic schedules, accidentally leave their child in a hot car. In the past two decades, over 700 kids have lost their lives due to heatstroke from being left in vehicles, and tragically, 2016 alone saw 26 such deaths in the U.S.
While it’s easy for online critics to pass judgment on parents who forget their children in the car, the reality is that these situations often arise from honest mistakes. Research shows that 54% of hot car fatalities occur when a child is inadvertently left behind. Despite the blame that may come from others, it’s important to recognize that accidents can happen to anyone.
To combat these alarming statistics, Waze has introduced a new “child reminder” feature. This setting will alert you upon arrival at your destination to check the backseat for your child, helping to ensure their safety. Waze is a popular navigation app that allows parents to find the fastest routes while keeping their hands on the wheel. It can even update friends on everyone’s estimated arrival times, making it easier to coordinate plans.
Currently in beta testing, the child reminder feature can be customized to send notifications tailored to your needs, whether it’s a reminder to check for your child or even to grab your office shoes instead of your flip flops. While many parents have their own strategies for remembering to check the backseat—like leaving a bag or shoe in the back—this feature adds an extra layer of protection.
Unfortunately, some critics have been quick to condemn parents who choose to utilize this feature, suggesting that needing a reminder indicates poor parenting. However, parenting is far from perfect, and distractions can occur, especially during busy mornings. It’s crucial to understand that the majority of hot car deaths are tragic mistakes that anyone could make. Instead of shaming parents, we should be supportive and encourage measures that can prevent such incidents.
Kudos to Waze for taking steps to help ensure child safety in vehicles. To read more about home insemination and parenting, check out this post on home insemination kit. For valuable information on fertility, visit Make a Mom. Additionally, for comprehensive resources on infertility, you can turn to Mount Sinai’s health library.
In summary, Waze is making strides to support parents and help prevent accidents with its new child reminder feature. By offering a gentle nudge to check the backseat, the app aims to keep children safe during travel, showing that even the busiest parents can benefit from a little extra assistance.