Jaycee’s Return Boosts Interest in GPS Tracking of Kids
About 800,000 children are reported missing in the United States annually, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. While the vast majority are runaways, followed by parental abductions, an estimated 58,000 children are kidnapped by strangers. But 99 percent of those come home pretty soon quickly, the Center says.
So how well can technology similar to that found in GPS fleet tracking assist in locating those kids who somehow slip out of the reach of Mom, Dad or other family members? Interest has been renewed in part due to the August return of Jaycee Dugard, after nearly two decades of allegedly being held in a Northern California back yard.
In recent years, affordable solutions have come on the market that employ GPS tracking. But it should be pointed out that even wristwatch-size trackers only report a child’s current or last-known location to within a few yards; so it’s not always possible to discover little Johnny standing next to the gorilla exhibit at the zoo. Furthermore, most of these devices mean that if Mom or Dad aren’t at home, they need access to an Internet-connected computer to get a fix on their child’s location. Web-connected smartphones and PDAs with browsers will suffice when the family’s on an outing, however.
Like similar units, it consists of two parts. Parents keep the receiver, which is activated when a small alarm attached to the child goes beyond a predetermined range.
Some interesting statistics from the Boston-based Center to Prevent Lost Children: 90 percent of families will momentarily lose track of a child in a public place; 20 percent have lost a child more than once. Forty-five percent of the children get separated from parents in malls and stores, and 27 percent in amusement parks, according to the center, which consults with employees at amusement parks, airports, beaches and similar areas.
Keeping track of teens with driver’s license is a bit easier with GPS fleet tracking technology because you can monitor their whereabouts in real time on a familiar Google Map.
But for younger kids, some common-sense tips can make it easier to track them down if they do get separated from adults, including:
- Don’t announce your kids’ names around strangers, or put their names on the outside of clothes or personal items.
- Teach kids at a young age to know their last names, home address and phone number; how to dial 911 in an emergency and how to place collect calls.
- Keep small children in view at all times in public places. Teach them what to do if they become separated from their family.
- Don’t allow kids to listen to music through headphones or play handheld electronic games while walking.
Here’s hoping you and your little ones have a safe, happy summer. And however you do it, keep on trackin!
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