Keyless-ignition vehicles may be convenient, but one Florida mother nearly lost her son because of this potentially deadly feature.
Mom Constance Petot recently parked her keyless-ignition car in her garage and then forgot to push the button to shut off the ignition. Instead, she went inside her home with the car still running. Toxic fumes quickly filled the garage and then began leaking into her home.
“To see my son in my arms, passed out from the lack of oxygen was a moment that I would never wish on anyone,” Petot told NBC News.
Petot and her 13-month-old son, Parker, thankfully survived this deadly mistake. Just 20 minutes longer of carbon monoxide poisoning would have likely killed them both. Unfortunately, many others haven’t been so lucky. At least 21 people have died as a result of not pushing their keyless-ignition button to turn off a car, according to KidsAndCars.org. In total, at least 60 U.S. drivers have accidentally left a key-less ignition vehicle running inside a garage.
So how can such a simple oversight be prevented? Obviously, car owners are aware that they should shut off the ignition. But just as having no key makes it easy to turn on the car, this convenience makes it equally as easy to leave it on.
Many safety advocates believe car makers should install an automatic shutoff device in keyless-ignition vehicles. Chevrolet and Ford, for example, already have automatic shutoff features on some of their vehicles. Other car makers have opted to install audible alerts in certain models.
Making sure to have carbon monoxide detectors in your home could be another safeguard for your family. According to HealthyChildren.org, symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include the following:
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Fainting
For more information about protecting your family from carbon monoxide poisoning, visit HealthyChildren.org.