Brazil Senator proposes mandatory vehicle alerts for child and pet safety

Senator Teresa Leitão has introduced bill PL 2. 295/2026 in the Brazilian Senate, which proposes mandatory alert devices in all new vehicles to prevent deaths caused by forgetting children or pets inside closed cars. The legislation aims to mitigate risks of hyperthermia and dehydration, particularly in warm climates like Brazil.

If passed, the National Traffic Council (Contran) will be responsible for defining the specific technical rules for these devices. The mandate would apply exclusively to new vehicles sold domestically and would not extend to models intended for export.

Leitão justified the bill by noting that such incidents often stem from human error related to stress and intense routines rather than intentional negligence. She cited international data, noting that approximately 40 children die annually in the United States due to being left in hot vehicles, and emphasized that similar recurring incidents occur in Brazil.