COLUMBUS – A bill that protects Ohioans who break into a vehicle to help a child or animal from being sued is on its way to the governor’s desk after being approved by the state House Wednesday.
The measure, co-sponsored by senators Jim Hughes (R- Columbus) Frank LaRose (R-Copley Township), grants civil immunity to anyone who breaks into a locked vehicle to save a child or pet from excessive heat.
The bill specifies that the rescuer must contact 911 and make sure there is no other way for the child or animal to get out before forcibly entering the vehicle, Hughes said.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, cars parked in direct sunlight can reach internal temperatures of up to 131 degrees to 172 degrees Fahrenheit when outside temperatures are between 80 and 100 degrees. Even outside temperatures in the 60s can cause internal temperature to rise well above 110 degrees, Hughes said.
The national child safety group Kids and Cars says 600 children have died inside excessively hot vehicles since 1990.