'Jacob's Law' aims to prevent child deaths in hot vehicles

[Rufus T. Firefly]

As for Zkrib's point about manslaughter, wtf? You think anyone leaves their kids in the car voluntarily. Okay, yes, it does happen occasionally, to some exceptionally ignorant people. The vast majority of the time, however, its accidental. Unfortunately, it only takes about 15 minutes for the car to become dangerously hot. Fifteen minutes is not very long to be distracted and make a mistake.

Um, that's what manslaughter is -- an accidental death resulting from your negligence. Zkrib's point is spot-on.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Actually, it's not just a day-care worker problem. Parents do it. Go in to shop, eat, drink or whatever. Pets and children. And no, it's not a Texas-specific problem.

Though it does appear to be disproportionately Texas problem. In 2008, Texas had 9 of these deaths; no other state with a population over 10 million had more than 2 (and two -- New York and Illinois -- had none). Don't know what that means, exactly, but there it is.

[chequita guevara]

How can anyone accidentally leave a kid in the car?

Che, big government isn't the answer. The people who do this are stupid enough as is, fear of legal consequences won't change anything. As Zkrib already said, this is already illegal.

Way to completely ignore everything. People accidentally leave kids in the car by forgetting they have a kid in the car. In the case of day care workers, it happens because they are too busy focusing on corralling the other kids that they overlook one.

[Asher]

Way to completely ignore everything. People accidentally leave kids in the car by forgetting they have a kid in the car. In the case of day care workers, it happens because they are too busy focusing on corralling the other kids that they overlook one.

Legislating anything won't fix this. It's already a crime.

It is you that is ignoring this is already criminal.

[Rufus T. Firefly]

Legislating anything won't fix this. It's already a crime.

I hate to be cynical -- ok, so that's a lie -- but it occurs to me that this law will change one thing. If it mandates training for the workers then, when the workers still leave kids locked in vehicles, the workers' employers will have immunized themselves against the inevitable civil suit -- because they performed the mandated state training. The worker alone will be liable.

[Sava]

You know, it's easy to say only stupid people do this. But it's very easy for it to happen. We are overworked in this society, and often easily distracted, because of all the crap on our minds.

The problem with this law isn't that it was passed. The problem is, it doesn't go far enough. It should mandate practice, so that it becomes instinctive to check each seat every time workers exit the vehicle, so they don't even have to think about it, just like soldiers practice, practice, practice.

As for Zkrib's point about manslaughter, wtf? You think anyone leaves their kids in the car voluntarily. Okay, yes, it does happen occasionally, to some exceptionally ignorant people. The vast majority of the time, however, its accidental. Unfortunately, it only takes about 15 minutes for the car to become dangerously hot. Fifteen minutes is not very long to be distracted and make a mistake.

My parents never left me in the car... not a once

[chequita guevara]

Legislating anything won't fix this. It's already a crime.

It is you that is ignoring this is already criminal.

My question to you is did you simply not read what I wrote or are you trying to start a fight by strawmanning me?

Go back and reread what I originally wrote: mandating training for child care workers, not just a measly 2 hours.

I think the fact that it is criminal or not is irrelevant. The vast majority of the time this is done, it is because someone forgot the child is in the car, not because the person deliberately left the child in the car. Criminalizing it is pointless.

[chequita guevara]

My parents never left me in the car... not a once

That's self-evident, because you are posting. If your parents had left you in the car, you wouldn't be here to tell us about it or you would post like Ben Kenobi.

[Dis]

stop naming laws after children dammit!

Unless you make a law that can bash stupid people over the head with a mallet, and tell them to pay attention to their kids and take care of them, it won't do any good.

[Dis]

Actually, it's not just a day-care worker problem. Parents do it. Go in to shop, eat, drink or whatever. Pets and children. And no, it's not a Texas-specific problem.
That's not addresed to you, Asher. I plan for a living, so I know it's coming.

actually it's more common where I live. And it will kill a kid much faster than in Texas. You guys got it easy. Us people in Vegas are real men. But unfortunately for the kids, they can't handle it. Pets too.

[Wezil]

Redundant and possibly counterproductive legislation.

stop naming laws after children dammit!

The "Amber Alert" policy is under review here. Could be done away with.

[chequita guevara]

The "Amber Alert" policy is under review here. Could be done away with.

In Florida, we also have the "Silver" alert, so we can be on the lookout for old folks who've wandered off.

[Kuciwalker]

seriously?

[Wezil]

Yeah, seriously. We had a recent child abduction/murder in which the Amber Alert policy came under serious criticism.

[Wezil]

The problem is the criteria required for issuing one. In the Stafford case (link) they weren't met.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2009/07/21/10204491-sun.html

Now there are calls from many to ease the requirements for issuing the alert. The problem with that of course is that you invite an endless stream of alerts issued whenever a kid is late coming home from school. The alerts will become meaningless.

The impetus to disband the official Amber Alert program (and roll it into official police protocol instead) would be to prevent future lambasting of police for doing what is asked of them.