SALT LAKE CITY—In the past decade more than 60 children in Utah have died from accidental backovers or frontovers. To help avoid these accidents, Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital created the “Spot the Tot” program in 2005. It is designed to prevent motorists from accidentally rolling over a small child when backing out of the driveway or away from the curb.

These safety messages are especially critical because spring and summer are when the highest rate of these accidents happen as more children are outside playing. 

“Children are unpredictable,” said Michelle Jamison, community health program manager at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. “They often have poor judgment and little understanding of danger and no impulse control. They don’t recognize boundaries such as the yard, street, driveway, sidewalk or parking lot. That’s why it’s especially important that drivers learn how to Spot the Tot to prevent accidental backovers and frontovers.”

At a recent press conference Jen and Chad Petersen shared their story of losing their child to such an accident.

The family was preparing for a trip to Disneyland. “I own a little car lot and I was getting ready to take the trailer back to work so we could clear it out of the way,” said Chad. “Doing so I had my tailgate down. Our truck had multiple cameras, backup sensors, sonar, all the things you should have to keep your family safe.”

Chad said what he wished he would have done differently is not have the radio on and windows up. “I didn’t see anything until out of the corner of my eye I saw my wife slip and fall trying to get my attention to get out of the garage.”

“I’d visited with him before he went to work at the driver’s side door about what needed to be done and what I needed to pack,” said Jen. “While I’m standing there I just point to Natalie and say ‘hey, head into the garage.’ She went into the garage and I finished telling him what I’m going to do and said ‘I love you’ and shut the door.”

Jen said she went into the garage to get her. “I’m assuming while my back was turned she came back out and he’s paying attention to talking to me. So I walked back into the garage to look for her. I didn’t see her bike so I instantly went toward the driveway and just heard her screaming saying ‘mommy.’ I ran to her but I slipped and hit my head.”

That’s what he was saying he stopped for, she said. “He saw me slip and fall. I don’t know why we just didn’t think to look exactly where she was beforehand. I guess we both assumed she was in the garage. We had cameras, we had protection but just that small moment of being preoccupied with plans for trying to leave for our trip allowed that to occur with her playing in the blind spot where the cameras couldn’t see her.”

“It was obviously a terrible, terrible tragedy for our family,” said Chad. “We try every day to try and turn that into a positive experience.”

“Spot the Tot resonated with us,” said Jen. “Maybe we could provide some good in this tragedy. We feel close to her when we share her story and it might prevent anyone else from going through this.”

Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital experts offer the following tips to Spot the Tot:

• Walk all the way around the vehicle before you get in to ensure children are not behind you.

• Turn off distractions, including your mobile phone and music.

• Roll down the windows and listen for children.

• Ask an adult to stay with kids while you exit a driveway to improve safety.

“Injury prevention is something I’m passionate about as an emergency room doctor,” said Nate Holman, MD, an emergency medicine physician at Intermountain St. George Regional Hospital. “I’m also passionate about it as a father. My daughter was injured a few years ago when she was backed over in a driveway by a relative. She survived and is doing very well, but the accident has been tremendously difficult for the driver. We can all work together as a community to Spot the Tot and prevent accidental injuries.” 

Spot the Tot stickers, safety tips and more are available at primarychildrens.org/safety.