New tech may prevent hot car deaths

By Katie Ritchie

Each year infants, children, and pets are in danger during the summer months. The National Safety Council reports that 32 children have died so far in 2019 from being left in a hot vehicle. It claims that on average, 38 children per year succumb to heat stroke after being left in a vehicle. In many of these fatal cases, the children were forgotten by a parent or caregiver. Aside from leaving a purse or wallet in the back seat, how can we protect our children and grandchildren?

The eClip by Elepho hopes to reduce the risk of forgetting a child. The device is battery-operated and connects to your phone’s Bluetooth via an app. It is designed so children and infants won’t accidentally turn it off. The small battery is similar to the one you might have in your watch. It provides 500 hours of continuous use so you don’t have to worry about charging it. The device can be connected to a car seat, seat belt, or diaper bag.

The app works with Apple and Android. With the Baby Reminder feature, you get a continuous reminder that your baby or young child is in the car. It will also monitor the car temperature for you. If the back seat gets too warm, you’ll know to adjust the air conditioning in the back seat. If you should leave the vehicle without your baby, the alarm on the app will activate. It will stop you when you’re a short distance from your car.

The eClip is currently available through the Elepho.com website and Amazon.

There are other devices on the market which serve a similar purpose. The eClip has the most advanced features.

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