Sadly, one does not have to look far to find a story of a parent or caregiver who accidentally left a child in a hot car. When 11-year-old, Andrew Pelham of Nashville read about a baby in his hometown that died after being left inside a hot van, he wanted to make a difference.
Being the oldest of four, Andrew knew a little about strapping kids in cars; he knew that any invention could not interfere with driving or the child car seat. Made from bright neon duct tape and rubber bands, Andrew developed the EZ Baby Saver, a
strap that stretches from the back seat to the front and attaches to the driver’s side door.When parents click a child in, they flip the E-Z Baby Saver to the front seat, get behind the wheel, stretch the device across the driver’s seat door, and hook it on the handle. When exiting the vehicle, they are reminded that there is someone important to take along.
Although the invention won Pelham second place in the
Rubber Band Contest for Young Inventors, Andrew said it was not about the money. Because it was more important to spread awareness, Andrew does not want to
sell his design. Instead, he has set up a website to teach parents how to make their own in 15 minutes.“I’m hoping if I can save one life with my invention, I can say that my invention was successful,” he said.
For more information on protecting kids in cars, visit
kidsandcars.org. Learn the dangers and how to prevent them.
Mark Bello is the CEO and General Counsel of Lawsuit Financial Corporation, a pro-justice lawsuit funding company.
