There have been an overwhelming number of cases of babies dying in hot cars this season. So far this year 18 children have died from heat stroke in a vehicle. Since 1998 there have been 606 children who have died of heatstroke in a vehicle of those 51% were due to a child being forgotten by the parent or caregiver, 29% were due to children playing in unattended vehicles, 18% were due to parents or caregivers intentionally leaving their children in the hot vehicle and the remaining percentage are unknown.

You may think that you could never forget a child in the back seat of the car but sadly, it happens to the best of parents. Schedule changes and being over tired can cause the best parent to forget that he or she has a child in the back seat. Don’t let it happen to you. Use these 5 tips to prevent leaving your child in the car.

1. Put the diaper bag in the front seat next to your purse or briefcase. Seeing the diaper bag is a reminder that you have a baby that goes with it.

2. Put your purse or briefcase in the back seat with the baby.

3. Put your cell phone in the baby carrier. Most people won’t forget their cell phone so make a habit of putting your cell phone with the baby when it is in the car seat.

4. Have Siri or other phone assistant tell you to remember the baby when you get to your destination. Just the act of setting the reminder will reinforce that you have a baby in the car.

5. Ask the daycare to call you if you don’t drop the baby off.