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Tragically, over 1,050 children have died in hot cars since 1990, and at least another 7,300 survived with varying types and severity of injuries, according to data collected by Kids and Car Safety. With temperatures rising as summer approaches, the risk becomes even greater. Every summer we raise awareness about hot car tragedies and every summer beautiful, healthy children continue to die in hot cars. Effective and available technology to detect the presence of a child trapped inside a hot car must be required as standard equipment in all new cars immediately.
WHAT: Virtual News Conference in support of National Heatstroke Prevention Day
WHEN: Monday, May 1, 2023 at 11:00 am EST
WHERE: Live streamed and recorded on Zoom. Participants MUST register for the event ahead of time at the link below. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to the event.
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VpFd4h9vSpG35K4T5nrZ6w#/registration
**NOTE: Q&A during this event will be for media only**
WHO:
· U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
· U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL)
· Janette Fennell, President, Kids and Car Safety
· Cathy Chase, President, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
· David Diamond PhD, Professor of Psychology, Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, University of South Florida
· Laura Beck (Midlothian, VA), Parent Advocate, Kids and Car Safety, mother of Anderson Beck and wife of Aaron Beck, will speak for the first time publicly about the loss of her son in a hot car followed immediately by the loss of her husband who took his own life in 2022 after discovering that he did not drop his baby boy off at daycare last year.
· Pamela Cestia (New Iberia, LA), Parent Advocate, Kids and Car Safety, mother of Thomas Cestia, will speak about the 2021 loss of her son in a vehicle equipped with the ‘end of trip reminder’ or ‘door sequencing’ system that did nothing to prevent this tragedy.
***Families affected by hot car incidents available for other interviews upon request.
Kids and Car Safety is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping young children and pets safe in and around vehicles.
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety is an alliance of consumer, medical, public health, law enforcement, and safety groups and insurance companies and agents working together to improve road safety in the U.S. Advocates’ mission is the adoption of federal and state laws, policies and programs that prevent motor vehicle crashes, save lives, reduce injuries, and contain costs.
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