Originally Posted by Cat Herder:
- 21 states have Unattended Child in Vehicle Laws that have specific language addressing leaving a child unattended in a vehicle. (Complete List)
However, many of these laws have significant exceptions and qualifiers in their language:
- Two states' (Alabama and Wisconsin) laws only apply to paid child care providers.
- Two states' (Kentucky and Missouri) laws only apply if a child is injured or dies.
- Four states allow a period of time a child may be left unattended before it becomes a crime. Florida allows 15-minutes, Illinois allows 10-minutes and both Hawaii and Texas 5-minutes each.
- Washington's law only applies to a running vehicle or one parked outside a tavern or similar establishment.
- Rhode Island's law only allows for a verbal warning and no record can be kept!
- The remaining 29 states do not have laws specifically against leaving a child unattended in a vehicle, but injuries and deaths can be prosecuted under child endangerment, manslaughter and homicide statutes.
- A total of 29 states have laws about leaving animals unattended in vehicles. Summary.
- There are 16 states with "Good Samaritan Laws" with specific language that protects persons who see a child in a car and take action to render assistance. - http://noheatstroke.org/legal.htm
The states that have laws or guidelines in some form have the least occurrences overall....
The connection between “rules/consequences” and societal behavior is so obvious yet so disregarded....
