Toddler dies after getting stuck in power windows

amit · 22nd February 2007, 13:34

Amazing that something as simple as Power windows can take the life of a small baby. This was a tragic accident that happened in Calgary, Canada. A mom left her two kids, 6 year old boy and 2 year old girl, in her Chevrolet Blazer with the engine running to finish a small errand and things went really worse from there.

Full Story: Toddlers tragic death.

Wednesday would have been the little girl's birthday.

It's a good lesson for all of us. We all take power windows to be harmless. Take care and drive safe guys.

mobike008 · 22nd February 2007, 13:42

This is indeed a very tragic incident.

Any driver having small kids in the car should first lock the PW switch.

And, I am surprised this incident happened in the west, where people are extremely paranoid about everything related to safety when it comes to having their kids in the car

amit · 22nd February 2007, 13:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobike008

And, I am surprised this incident happened in the west, where people are extremely paranoid about everything related to safety when it comes to having their kids in the car

Not exactly buddy. It's a misconception we have here about the westerners. This was an accident just waiting to happen. I saw a number of vehicles with kids inside and engine running when I was in Canada. Specially in the winter, many drivers leave their cars running and go to pay for gas or to buy cigarattes from stores only so they can come back to a warm interior. There were many incidents of cars getting stolen from gas stations and the cops even ran a campaign urging motorists to switch off their engines and lock the car if they are leaving it unattended. I remember a case where a car had a small baby inside and it got stolen! In that case, the parents were lucky that they got their kid back. I feel North Americans are very naive.

rks · 22nd February 2007, 13:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by mobike008

Any driver having small kids in the car should first lock the PW switch.

To leave a 6-year old and a 2-year old unattended in a car is bad enough in the first place. To leave the engine on amounts to criminal negligence. Just what was the mother thinking? What if some passer-by tempts the children to open the door/window and drives off? What if the 6-year old kid releases the hand-brake and tampers with the controls? Etc., etc.

Quote:

And, I am surprised this incident happened in the west, where people are extremely paranoid about everything related to safety when it comes to having their kids in the car

People are the same everywhere. If you compare the middle-class westerner with the middle-class Indian, there is not much difference in terms of knowledge.

sreenivass · 22nd February 2007, 15:45

Precisely because of prevalent negligence, many states in the US have laws pertaining to attending/ not to children. In some places children are not supposed to be left unattended for more than 5/10 minutes or so.

I remember an incident where the guy left a 1 yr or so old boy in his SUV for watching a base ball/ foot ball game. In mid summer that child died f suffocation and extreme temperatures. Westerners are paranoid and there are laws does not mean these things would not happen. There is a deterrence and awareness among people. I am surprised Canada do not have such laws.

Nikhilb2008 · 22nd February 2007, 15:51

What was really tragic was that a passerby went to call emergency services but the mother arrived by then and thought the daughter was sleeping and drove away......

extreme_torque · 22nd February 2007, 17:59

I remember ASTRA used to come with this feature where if the power window while going up detects an object which hinders the path, it used to stop right there n then. I thought this feature was common in cars abroad. Freak incident... really tragic.

sbasak · 22nd February 2007, 21:05

Some similar incidents

Automatic transmission cars can kill your child - Consuming Interests - MSNBC.com
Brake Shift Transmission Interlock

rr_zen · 22nd February 2007, 21:07

A real unfortunate and freak accident I must say. This is a common practice of leaving the kid(s) in the car with the engine running while the parent is busy with some work outside that he or she hopes to come back within a few minutes. The sad thing is that they seldom realise that these minutes are the most precious ones that make the difference between life and death. I have seen a lot of such vehicles with kids inside here in the US. Initially I used to be surprised but now having seen enough of these, am used to it. But I should say that the law is quite powerful and the parent is taken to task for any such incidents. In fact, two months ago, there was this Indian in New York who was arrested by the police for having left his children unattended in the car while he and his wife were busy shopping !!

SRK · 22nd February 2007, 21:24

Really SAD!!!

Its too bad to hear such a thing..
A sweet little kid dying just because of a carless mistake..
By the way I heard there was this new technology which can sense an object between windows and prevent it from rolling up..
I think it should be made compulsory on all vehicles with power windows..

Also The parents should never leave with the engine running..or the keys inside..The kid could have driven the car..and caused something much more dangerous..

Z_addict · 22nd February 2007, 22:11

wanton acts of negligence like these...leave a gaping wound that take years to heal or sometimes never!. I know the feeling ( partial paranoia...) whenever i drive with my 14 month old son. Although, i strongly oppose him seating on the front passenger side on my wife's lap...he's mostly nestled in the rear seats with an adult supervision. These kids are much smarter than you think they are....he's already fixated on how the standrd H pattern works with his brows raised up curiously :-)

Iam gonna install "anti-pinch" feature on my two front PW as well as for the rears ( which currently have manual regulators...duh!).

Let sanity reign supreme in this world....peace out !.

mb_jg · 23rd February 2007, 03:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

I remember ASTRA used to come with this feature where if the power window while going up detects an object which hinders the path, it used to stop right there n then. I thought this feature was common in cars abroad. Freak incident... really tragic.

Yep you are right, but on the other hand we just don't make use or adhere to some basic rules that are laid out for our own safety. I for e.g always turn on the PW lock in my Palio when I have kids in the back seat, also the child locks. You never know what kids might end up doing in all the free time they have. Overall we all have an urge to defy things that are dangerous, take the pedestrians for e.g they care less while crossing roads, two wheeler riders think they are tom cruise ki aulaad while they ride their PUNY but dangerous 100cc bikes. It almost becomes your own perogative not to KILL or HURT someone on the road, we actually end up looking out for each other

esteem_lover · 23rd February 2007, 14:09

Locking your kids in a car & running an errand that has taken that much time till the older boy has fallen asleep is something terrible. i get fidgety leaving my kids in the car while i stay right in front of the car while running an errand.

22nd February 2007, 13:34	#1
amit Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 3,717 Thanked: 449 Times	Toddler dies after getting stuck in power windows Amazing that something as simple as Power windows can take the life of a small baby. This was a tragic accident that happened in Calgary, Canada. A mom left her two kids, 6 year old boy and 2 year old girl, in her Chevrolet Blazer with the engine running to finish a small errand and things went really worse from there. Full Story: Toddlers tragic death. Wednesday would have been the little girl's birthday. It's a good lesson for all of us. We all take power windows to be harmless. Take care and drive safe guys.
	() Thanks

22nd February 2007, 13:42	#2
mobike008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 11,695 Thanked: 14,800 Times View My Garage	This is indeed a very tragic incident. Any driver having small kids in the car should first lock the PW switch. And, I am surprised this incident happened in the west, where people are extremely paranoid about everything related to safety when it comes to having their kids in the car
	() Thanks

22nd February 2007, 15:45	#5
sreenivass BHPian Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Bangalore India Posts: 932 Thanked: 44 Times View My Garage	Precisely because of prevalent negligence, many states in the US have laws pertaining to attending/ not to children. In some places children are not supposed to be left unattended for more than 5/10 minutes or so. I remember an incident where the guy left a 1 yr or so old boy in his SUV for watching a base ball/ foot ball game. In mid summer that child died f suffocation and extreme temperatures. Westerners are paranoid and there are laws does not mean these things would not happen. There is a deterrence and awareness among people. I am surprised Canada do not have such laws.
	() Thanks

22nd February 2007, 15:51	#6
Nikhilb2008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,196 Thanked: 10,138 Times	What was really tragic was that a passerby went to call emergency services but the mother arrived by then and thought the daughter was sleeping and drove away......
	() Thanks

22nd February 2007, 17:59	#7
extreme_torque Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Melbourne Posts: 4,376 Thanked: 5,105 Times	I remember ASTRA used to come with this feature where if the power window while going up detects an object which hinders the path, it used to stop right there n then. I thought this feature was common in cars abroad. Freak incident... really tragic.
	() Thanks

22nd February 2007, 21:05	#8
sbasak BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CCU-LTN Posts: 608 Thanked: 14 Times	Some similar incidents Automatic transmission cars can kill your child - Consuming Interests - MSNBC.com Brake Shift Transmission Interlock
	() Thanks

22nd February 2007, 21:07	#9
rr_zen Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 1,799 Thanked: 400 Times View My Garage	A real unfortunate and freak accident I must say. This is a common practice of leaving the kid(s) in the car with the engine running while the parent is busy with some work outside that he or she hopes to come back within a few minutes. The sad thing is that they seldom realise that these minutes are the most precious ones that make the difference between life and death. I have seen a lot of such vehicles with kids inside here in the US. Initially I used to be surprised but now having seen enough of these, am used to it. But I should say that the law is quite powerful and the parent is taken to task for any such incidents. In fact, two months ago, there was this Indian in New York who was arrested by the police for having left his children unattended in the car while he and his wife were busy shopping !! Last edited by rr_zen : 22nd February 2007 at 21:08.
	() Thanks

22nd February 2007, 21:24	#10
SRK Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,201 Thanked: 524 Times	Really SAD!!! Its too bad to hear such a thing.. A sweet little kid dying just because of a carless mistake.. By the way I heard there was this new technology which can sense an object between windows and prevent it from rolling up.. I think it should be made compulsory on all vehicles with power windows.. Also The parents should never leave with the engine running..or the keys inside..The kid could have driven the car..and caused something much more dangerous..
	() Thanks

22nd February 2007, 22:11	#11
Z_addict Newbie Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 8 Thanked: 0 Times	wanton acts of negligence like these...leave a gaping wound that take years to heal or sometimes never!. I know the feeling ( partial paranoia...) whenever i drive with my 14 month old son. Although, i strongly oppose him seating on the front passenger side on my wife's lap...he's mostly nestled in the rear seats with an adult supervision. These kids are much smarter than you think they are....he's already fixated on how the standrd H pattern works with his brows raised up curiously :-) Iam gonna install "anti-pinch" feature on my two front PW as well as for the rears ( which currently have manual regulators...duh!). Let sanity reign supreme in this world....peace out !.
	() Thanks

23rd February 2007, 14:09	#13
esteem_lover Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Madras/Py Posts: 7,556 Thanked: 502 Times View My Garage	Locking your kids in a car & running an errand that has taken that much time till the older boy has fallen asleep is something terrible. i get fidgety leaving my kids in the car while i stay right in front of the car while running an errand.
	() Thanks