Tennessee – With summer temperatures rising, Tennessee officials are urging parents and caregivers to use the free *‘Baby in the Back’* car hangtag as a lifesaving visual reminder to prevent children from being left in hot vehicles.
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett, State Rep. Scott Cepicky, and representatives from the Tennessee Department of Health, Department of Safety, and AAA — The Auto Club Group — came together this week to promote the program, which has already distributed nearly 600,000 hangtags across the state.
“This program is a small way we can raise awareness about the dangers of heat-related illnesses and deaths among our youngest Tennesseans,” said Secretary Hargett. “I am grateful to Rep. Cepicky for approaching us with the idea for ‘Baby in the Back’ and for his trust in our office to administer it.”
The idea originated with Rep. Cepicky, inspired by a placard his father, a disabled veteran, used on his vehicle mirror. Cepicky saw an opportunity to adapt that concept into a tool for preventing child deaths during hot weather.
“That placard led me to work on creating a similar visual reminder to prevent the unspeakable tragedies we hear about every summer,” said Cepicky. “I am honored ‘Baby in the Back’ has become one of the best programs in the nation.”
The hangtag is designed to prompt drivers to check the back seat before exiting their vehicle. It also serves as a cue to bystanders, who may notice the tag and be encouraged to check for unattended children.
Health officials emphasized the dangers of heatstroke, noting that interior car temperatures can rapidly climb to 140 degrees — even on mild days.
“Far too many families experience the unimaginable tragedy of losing a child to heatstroke from being left in a vehicle,” said Tennessee Health Commissioner Dr. Ralph Alvarado. “The ‘Baby in the Back’ hangtag is a simple, life-saving reminder.”
Statistics show that, on average, one child dies every 10 days from heatstroke in a vehicle. In more than half of these cases, the child was unintentionally left behind.
Tennessee Highway Safety Office Deputy Director Jason Ivey reminded the public that it is illegal in Tennessee to leave a child unattended in a vehicle for any amount of time.
“It is our hope that these hangtags will be a visible reminder and will prevent a tragic heat-related injury or death from occurring,” Ivey said.
As summer travel increases and routines shift, officials say the *‘Baby in the Back’* program is an easy and effective tool to protect children during the hottest months of the year.