Several years ago, two young children died from CO poisoning while sleeping in he back of a station wagon on their way home from Disneyland. Their deaths weren?t discovered until the parents arrived home.
After reading this, I immediately went out and bought a battery-operated CO alarm for $20, and stuck it under the back seat of our Taurus station wagon. I transferred it to the Windstar minivan we bought a few years later. Every three years or so, it chirps to remind me to change the battery.
Everyone who has a wagon or minivan should buy one and put it under the seat; I guarantee it will save lives. It?s cheap, cheap trouble-free insurance against an unspeakable calamity.
-Tony The Car Nut
Good idea, Tony. I wonder why the manufacturers haven’t done that? Even as an option I’m sure it would sell.
Would CO2 (or other) detectors detect fumes from leaking batteries? I’m thinking of the hybrids now.
Excellent excellent super idea. Thank you for posting.
That is a good idea, especially since they are included in new RVs.
I would also add that if you care that much about safety, it might also be a good to not let children sleep unbelted in the back of the vehicle like some people do on long trips. If you do, I recommend a restraint system similar to those that are used in the bunks of semis where one driver will sleep while the other is driving. Truck manufacturers equip these tractors with a restraint system that consists of seat belt material sewn into a grid that surrounds the sleeping passenger. It would not be difficult to retrofit one of these harnesses in the back of a minivan.
Yeh, now why didn’t I remember that? I have one in my trailer outside in my driveway. Duh.
Good idea however it really presses the need to have your exhaust system inspected. Our state requires it yearly. Use a real mechanic who finds problems during oil change like these and address them rather than ignore them.