Two University of Georgia researchers have found that new public health messaging could play a role in preventing hot car deaths.
UGA doctoral student Castle Williams and professor Andrew Grundstein surveyed both parents and experts on the topic of hot car deaths.
The study found that most parents do not believe they would accidentally forget a child in the car. Instead, parents thought that the majority of hot car deaths were intentional. Lifestyle factors like low income, were also thought by parents to make others more likely to forget a child in the car.
Williams and Grundstein hope the results from this study can help public health researchers to craft better future messages about hot car deaths.
11 children died in hot cars across the U.S. in July 2017.