Serious answer: No one would ever think "Oh, yeah, I could forget I had my child in the car."
NO ONE ever thinks it would happen to them...that's why it's called 'accident' - even as tragic as this.
How many of us have NEVER done anything that resulted in a bad outcome?
There seems to be more rush-to-judgment responses here than retrospection or understanding that tragic mistakes do happen. It would be a wonderful world with only infallible people in it...but we haven't reached that level yet.
BTW, child seat sensors are coming. My Daughter and hubby just bought a van that sets off a sensor if you put a child in the FRONT seat and wont allow the car to start.
I'm hoping they'll work on sensors that will go off if the car is shut off and there's a child still in a car seat.
I think the key is to try to think of the unthinkable.
Just like being overly cautious the first time you have a teenager watch your kid and you make sure she has 10 people to call in case she can't get you the two seconds your out of cell range. :)
Just like even though your mom raised three of you and you all turned out more or less, you still tell her what *your* child is finicky about....
if we think of the what if's - we're less likely to have them sneak up on us.
(Now, if only I could figure out how to stop locking my keys in the car - the tow truck guy and I are on a first name basis now - things happen we get distracted, but little lives are far more important than any other thing we've got going....)