There may be a lot more broken car windows come fall. Governor John Kasich recently signed a bill allowing good samaritans to break and enter a hot, locked vehicle if there is a child or animal inside.
Senate bill, sponsored by Republican Senators Jim Hughes (Columbus) and Frank LaRose (Copley Township), requires any rescuer to first dial 9-1-1 so that law enforcement can assess the situation.
If a police officer can’t arrive in time, the person may then forcibly enter the vehicle, making sure to break glass away from the person or animal in the car.
“The heat of summer is here so it’s important that Ohioans know that there is no need to hesitate to take action when the life of a child or animal is at risk,” LaRose said. “Now that the law provides immunity for good samaritans who do what it takes to save a life, Ohioans who do the right thing have no need to fear legal repercussions.”
Hundreds of animals die every year from owners leaving them or forgetting about them in the car. Temperatures rise fast in a car, especially when it’s sitting in the sun. Outside it could be 60 degrees while the interior temperature passes 100 degrees.
“Each year, heartbreaking stories of children and pets locked in vehicles during excessively hot or cold temperatures result in terrible tragedies,” Hughes said. “This legislation will allow good samaritans to prevent such tragedies when necessary without hesitation, saving the life of vulnerable children and pets.”
The bill garnered major support from non-profit organization Kids and Cars, a group for child safety advocacy. They cover and raise awareness of the dangers children face when parents or caretakers aren’t paying attention; “frontovers” and “backovers” — when a driver can’t see anyone in front or behind the car and runs a child over, heat strokes and trunk entrapments are some of issues Kids and Cars addresses.
“The worst thing any parent or caregiver can do is think that they could never unknowingly leave a child behind in a vehicle,” said Janette Fennell, founder and president of Kids and Cars. ”This can and does happen to the most loving, responsible and attentive parents.”
According to their website 37 children die every year after being left in a hot car. Since 1990, nearly 800 children have died from heatstroke.
The bill was signed into law March 31 and will go into effect on August 29.