A little-known feature in Waze can serve as an important reminder for parents and caregivers transporting children in their vehicles.
The popular navigation app includes a "Child Reminder" function that prompts drivers to check the vehicle for a child before leaving the car. The feature is available on Android, iPhone and iPad devices.
How it works
To activate the feature, users need to:
- Open Waze
- Go to Settings
- Select Reminders
- Enable Child Reminder
Once activated, the app displays a reminder at the end of a journey, encouraging the driver to check the vehicle before walking away.
Customisable messages
Waze also allows users to personalise the reminder.
Parents can enter their own message and even include their child's name, making the alert more noticeable and personal.
Important limitation
The feature does not detect whether a child is actually inside the vehicle.
Waze does not use sensors or monitoring technology for this purpose. Instead, it functions solely as a reminder that must be manually activated by the user and will appear regardless of whether a child is travelling in the car.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
For users accessing Waze through Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, the company notes that the settings must be configured through the smartphone itself after disconnecting it from the vehicle's infotainment system.
The feature takes only a few seconds to enable but can provide an additional safeguard at moments when distraction or routine may have serious consequences.
