What an odd condition of the law!

[elfs]

Yamaraashi-chan yesterday asserted that it was "illegal" for me to leave her in the car. I asked her if she knew there was such a law in Washington State, or if she had just heard this third-hand. She was sure it existed.

Well, I went and looked it up.

RCW 9.91.060: Leaving a child unattended in a parked vehicle.

Every person having the care and custody, whether temporary or permanent, of minor children under the age of twelve years, who shall leave such children in a parked automobile unattended by an adult while such person enters a tavern or other premises where vinous, spirituous, or malt liquors are dispensed for consumption on the premises shall be guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

I wonder why the "condition" is there at the end? I would bet most kids who've died baking in a car were left there by someone who was forgetful for some reason other than drink.

It's also illegal to leave a child in a car if the motor is running.

Comments

[drewkitty.livejournal.com]

My people in parking lots see variants on this all the time. As far as I know, there's no specific code section in California except the catch all of child endangerment.

1) Kid in vehicle with engine running.

Watch vehicle to prevent theft. If theft is attempted, call out "There's a kid in the car!" If driver is not back in 2-3 minutes, locate and advise driver. Noncompliant? Call police: felony child endangerment, possible for kid to put vehicle into drive; carbon monoxide poisoning; potential theft of vehicle.

2) Kid left in vehicle in hot weather >5 minutes.

Locate and escort driver back to vehicle. Building page. Noncompliant? Call police: felony child endangerment. If child is in distress, call police and paramedics. If emergency service response time is delayed, consider persuading kid to unlock door, if not possible - forcible entry. (One of our supervisors was given a Certificate of Appreciation for smashing out a car window to rescue a toddler. Mom threatened to file charges, our supervisor said 'Let's just wait for the police, ma'am' and when police arrived, mom had to be wrestled into handcuffs.)

Note that windows completely rolled down help only a little bit, like propping the door on an oven. Cracking the windows does little or nothing to resolve the life-threatening condition of sticking a kid in a 150 to 180 degree heat oven. Gene police: out of the pool!

3) Pet left in vehicle in hot weather >10 minutes.

Advise driver. If animal is in distress, contact Animal Control. If crowd gathers, call police for civil assist.

4) Kids left alone in vehicle.

Check on kids after 15 minutes and every 30 minutes thereafter, assuming kids are OK at each check. If still left alone after one hour, attempt to locate driver. If unable to locate driver at ninety minutes plus, contact police for civil assist.

Hadn't heard about the tots in bar parking lots bit . . . but given some of the alcoholics I know, makes sense.