The Knesset Science & Technology Committee headed by MK Yaakov Maklev met to discuss forgetting a child in a parked vehicle. Taking part in the session were the parents of the toddler who died after being left in a vehicle in Ashdod, Eliyahu Weingott z”l. Also taking part in the session were representatives of the Education Ministry who presented the technology available to prevent such occurrences available today, adding these devices will be mandatory for vehicles used to transport school children.

Maklev opened the meeting by addressing the bereaved parents, who got up from shiva a day earlier. “You united al of Am Yisrael. Your pain is our pain” he told them.

Maklev explained that today, technology exists to prevent these tragedies and he feels this technology should be found in new vehicles, questioning how does one value the cost of a vehicle against the life of a toddler that can be spared.

Committee members heard that in the past eight years, there have been 381 cases of children forgotten in a vehicle of which 20 ended in a fatality R”L.

Representatives of a number of companies displayed their device, all intended to alert a driver that a child has been forgotten in a vehicle. Transportation Ministry Chief Scientist Dr. Shai Sofer explained they have checked various possible solutions and have already discussed making such devices mandatory in vehicles used to transport people as well as in private vehicles.

Yitzchak Weingott, the father of the child who died in a vehicle last week added “We have received condolences from all over but the biggest nechama is hearing this session and decisions reached”.

Maklev decided round table talks between experts and representatives of various ministries would continue towards finding a solution to be implanted to address the matter.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)