About Child Safety Tracking Devices

Introductions - The Facts

• According to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), there were 643,744 reported cases of missing children under the age of 18 nationwide in 2007. Fortunately, there are many tracking devices available to help you locate your child in the event of an emergency. Some of the tracking devices are handheld, some a fit in a backpack or book bag and others are stored within the child's cell phone.

The Technologies Available - GPS

• There are two types of technology available: GPS and RF.

  GPS, or global positioning system, receives its signals from satellites orbiting earth. It can pinpoint what it is locating within a few feet. The data is then sent to a station that sends that transmits it to you via phone or the Internet. GPS is very reliable but it requires a monthly service charge that typically ranges between $20 and $50 per month.

  The child would have a small device with them, usually in their cell phone, in a back pack, or carried with them. It is tracked via the global positioning satellite system.

RF - Radio Frequency

• RF, or radio frequency, sends its signal to a tower that relays it to a transmitter that the parents or law enforcement agency can access. There is no monthly fee for this service.

  With the radio frequency tracking device, the child would need to have a tracking device with them. Usually it is a small device embedded in their book bag, a stuffed animal or other item that is always carried with them.

Kinds and Options Available

• There are many different types of tracking devices available for you to use for your child. They range in price from $160 to $600 and up. Monthly fees for GPS range from $9 per month to more than $60 per month.

  One top-of-the line model is called the World Tracker GRPS. Its purchase price is $600 (a one time fee), and monthly fees of $66.99 bring its total cost to more than $800 per year, but the options and features make this tracker well worth the money. For example it offers 3D graphics that you can follow on Google Earth, and it offers updates every 15 seconds.

  For bargain-conscious shoppers, there is the Zoombaks's Family Locator. This locator device is priced right at $249. The monthly service fee is $15 per month. The item is small, fits in the palm of your hand and can tell you the speed at which your child is moving. It can send you updates via the Internet or text messages.

In the Future

• There are also additional types of tracking devices in the development phase. There is a very small backpack tracking device that is currently being developed as well as other less-expensive options. The products that are being developed are getting smaller and smaller and less expensive. In the future, having a tracking device may become so common that it is a fixture of every child's backpack or book bag.