Every year, we see reports in the news of people being inadvertently left behind in vehicles, a danger that intensifies during the hot summer months.
People in care may be at higher risk of being left unattended in a vehicle as they sometimes rely on agency staff, clinicians, and family for transportation, whether for a doctor’s appointment, a day program, or simply an afternoon out. They may also require assistance evacuating or be unable to communicate their presence.
Leaving anyone alone in a vehicle can be unsafe, but for those receiving services, it can increase the risk for heat stroke or heat-related illness, an accident, elopement, or another type of emergency.
You play an important role in preventing an unnecessary tragedy. What can you do as a provider or agency staff member to help ensure vehicle safety this summer?
What You Can Do as a Provider:
- Know your role in ensuring safety. Attend trainings on vehicle passenger safety topics.
- Be proactive. Have Missing Persons Search Protocols that direct staff to immediately check transport vehicles when a person receiving services is discovered missing.
- Implement safety policies and procedures. At a minimum, a transport safety plan should include safe vehicle operation and post-trip vehicle inspection procedures, attendance and notification policies for unexpected absences, transportation plans, and emergency procedures for missing persons searches.
- Train and mentor staff. Train your staff on all relevant policies before they begin transporting people in care and offer retraining regularly. Supervise and coach staff to ensure that they consistently follow standard safety procedures.
- Regularly re-evaluate safeguards. Include routine compliance monitoring measures and utilize all appropriate environmental controls.
What You Can Do as a Driver, Transportation Aide, or Other Staff
- Don't let your guard down at your destination. Stay alert. Stay together, follow supervision assignments, conduct a headcount, and hand off supervision responsibilities.
- Know your passengers. Understand who is on your route and their needs when traveling by speaking with them and/or their care staff. Solicit relevant information about their requirements when traveling.
- Know your role in ensuring vehicle safety. Attend training on transportation standards and other vehicle-passenger safety topics.
- Look before you leave. Perform on-board inspections. Make it your routine to complete post-trip vehicle inspections. Check the entire vehicle, back to front, for passengers before you leave it, every time.
The Justice Center offers a variety of resources in its Dangers of Being Left Unattended in Vehicles toolkit. Access the toolkit for fact sheets, vehicle safety tips, the heatstroke infographic, and more.
Access the toolkit!
