Free Car Hangtags Provided To Help Prevent Heat Related Child Deaths
Wednesday, August 5, 2020
Secretary of State Tre Hargett is providing free car hangtags to help prevent heat-related child deaths in cars while simultaneously making it even easier to register to vote.
“We are passionate about the health and wellbeing of our fellow Tennesseans,” Secretary Hargett said. “Our office created hangtags that not only could be used to save a life of a child, but also provide an easy reminder to register to vote.”
On average, every ten days, a child dies from heatstroke in a car. In more than half of these deaths, the caregiver forgot the child was in the car, officials said.
Secretary Hargett worked with Representative Scott Cepicky and the Tennessee General Assembly to create these hangtags designed to increase voter registration and help save Tennessee children's lives.
“It is heartbreaking to lose a child and even more so when it could be prevented with more awareness,” said Rep.
Cepicky. “Our hope is the hangtag serves as a visual reminder to check the backseat for a child before locking your car.”
The office of Secretary of State Tre Hargett created 500,000 hangtags with a QR code that, with one click, takes Tennesseans to the Online Voter Registration system and reminds drivers to check the backseat for children before leaving a parked car.
The hangtags will be distributed statewide through partnerships with the Tennessee Hospital Association to distribute to birthing and children’s hospitals, the Tennessee Department of Health’s county health departments and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
For more information about the program, call the Secretary of State’s office at 615-741-2819.