WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Temperatures are rising, and it's important to make sure you don't leave children or pets in the hot car.
Congress is working to get all cars equipped with alerts to remind drivers to look in the back seat.
Eduardo Esteban is a car sales consultant at the Ford dealership in Waco, and he showed 25 News a new Expedition with features to help prevent hot car deaths.
“The vehicles have rear occupant alerts — it will show you an icon to check the rear for occupants," Esteban said.
Over the past 25 years, 971 children have died in hot cars.
So far this year, three children have already died across the country, but it’s not just people.
Last year, the Houston Police Department lost a K-9 officer after a car malfunctioned, trapping it in the vehicle.
Recently in Savannah, Missouri, the community is outraged after a K-9 officer died from staying in a car after an overnight shift.
That’s why congress is calling on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to make alerts like these mandatory on all new cars.
The NHTSA tells 25 News they are working towards that and more saying in part:
"NHTSA is analyzing more sophisticated technologies to detect and alert parents if a child is in the back seat, as well as actively assessing the effectiveness of the one rear seat occupant detection system the agency has been able to acquire.”
That’s good news for parents with children.
“It’s very important because nowadays, the heat and childrens' safety is top priority," Esteban said.
Congress has given the NHTSA until this August to issue the ruling making the those alerts mandatory on all new cars.
