What Is Causing Increase In Hot Car Deaths Involving Children?

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- What's causing the deadly trend of children being left to die in hot cars? People are busy and tired and often multi-tasking, but it's still hard to imagine how a person could forget a baby in the backseat.

One expert is blaming technology for the record number of children who have died from heat this year, after being left in cars.

Dr. James Roberts, a Technology Researcher says, "The keyword for the day, distraction." Roberts is an expert on addiction to technology, particularly cell phones, which he blames for the increase in children being forgotten.

He says, "this can only be distracted behavior. I wouldn't assume that it's being done on purpose so it's distracted behavior. Then I'd make that link to well if it's distracted behavior it's probably technology."

Roberts says there's a growing number of people that are easily distracted. "There's been a drop in our attention spans from 12 seconds to 8 1/4 seconds in the last 15 years and it's attributed to technology and to put that in perspective, the attention span of the average goldfish is nine seconds so we have gotten to the point where human beings now have a shorter attention span than the garden-variety goldfish."

Roberts, the author of two books on the subject of technology addiction, says there's a way to force yourself to focus while driving. "I say the first thing you should do is open up your trunk put your smart phone in there and get it out when you arrive. I bet you that will reduce this occurrence of events that we're seeing with people leaving their children and other loved ones and their pets behind.

Beyond getting away from the phone, experts say many people should work on being more focused, especially when driving. When a child or pet is in the car, in addition to putting a purse or briefcase in the back seat, another reminder could be a toy or note in the front seat.