Group warns about leaving kids in cars

Most people know the potentially deadly dangers of leaving a child in a hot parked car during the summer, but a child advocacy group is warning Iowans not to leave kids in the car at -any- time, including during the winter months. Jenny McCoy is spokeswoman for TYKES, which stands for Take Your Kids, Ensure their Safety. When it’s cold out, McCoy says busy people are tempted to leave their kids in the warm car as they duck into a store for a quick errand. She says that’s a recipe for disaster and potentially for death for any child left behind in the vehicle. They may get out of the car to find a caregiver, get abducted, get lost or freeze, get tangled or strangled in their seat belts or power windows or get carbon monoxide poisoning. McCoy offers a few tips for parents and anyone else who’s transporting kids. Always keep your vehicle locked, even when it’s in the garage or driveway, so kids aren’t tempted to get inside it and get into trouble. Don’t leave the keys within reach of kids. Teach them not to play in or around the vehicle. McCoy says free informational booklets and window clings are available through TYKES and the Iowa Safe Kids Coalition, based in Des Moines, at 800-526-KIDS.