age children can be left in a vehicle
States without kids-in-cars laws still may prosecute parents under child endangerment statutes, which can be interpreted in wildly different ways. A New Jersey appellate court recently found a woman who'd left her 19-month-old in her car for less than 10 minutes (with the windows cracked) guilty of child abuse. Roughly a third of the States have laws against leaving a child unattended in a vehicle. Michigan codifies this statute in the penal code at MCL 750.135a. The law is applicable to children less than age 6 and those that are left alone or without the supervision of an individual 13 years of age or older who is not legally incapacitated. Posted: Thursday, March 22, 2012 12:00 pm. Senate: Kids under 8 cannot be in cars alone | 1 comment. In order to better ensure child safety, the state Senate unanimously passed a bill on Feb. 29 that would make it illegal for parents or guardians to leave children under the age of 8 alone in a motor vehicle. Multiple infractions would constitute a misdemeanor. Unattended Children. Translate this page. In Maryland, a child under the age of 8 years may not be left unattended at home, at school, or in a car. If a parent or guardian needs to leave a child who is younger than 8 years old, the parent or guardian must ensure that a reliable person, who is at least 13 years old will stay to protect the child. A few weeks ago I had my kids, ages 5 and 7, loaded into the car, seat belts fastened over their booster seats. We were about to leave for school, when I realized that I left my cell phone in the pocket of a jacket that was in the house. SFGate also checked in with the American Automobile Association for their take. “AAA believes children should never be left alone in a vehicle, even if it’s only for a few minutes,” said Jenny Mack senior manager of public relations for AAA Northern California. Last year, at least 39 children died from heatstroke in vehicles; 21 have died so far this year. The interior of a car left in 80-degree heat with the windows rolled up can reach 120 degrees in less than an hour. Cracking the windows doesn't always cool the car down. Small kids more easily succumb to heatstroke, which can kick in when the body's internal temperature reaches just 104 degrees. Children left alone in the car on a hot summer day are at risk of heat stroke and even death. Every now and then we hear about a car being stolen with a child inside. Children can be abducted from cars. They could choke or hang themselves with the seat belt. They could get caught in the power windows. Personally, I don't see anything wrong with leaving a child who is in a car seat (and therefore safe) in a locked and alarmed car, left running so that the interior temperature is controlled, for 5 minutes or less. I realize some may disagree with me--perhaps vehemently--but it's a risk-analysis situation. “In just 10 minutes, the temperature inside a car can spike 19 degrees, and it can go up 29 degrees in 20 minutes. So on a 78-degree day, the temperature inside a car can climb to 97 degrees in just 10 minutes.
8 years.