Heatstroke Death Is a Risk to Children Left in Hot Cars
Follow these tips to prevent a warm-weather tragedy
With warm weather comes tragic cases of children being left in hot cars and dying from heatstroke. About 38 die each year from vehicular heatstroke, according to KidsAndCars.org and NoHeatStroke.org.
This hot-car tragedy often occurs when parents or caregivers are stressed, when there’s a change in the driver’s routine, or when there’s a sleeping baby in the back that a parent or caregiver forgets is there. Some people leave their children “just for a minute,” not realizing how quickly the temperature in a car can rise to dangerous levels. Even if it’s only 70° F outside, a car can quickly heat to more than 120° F.
Tips to Prevent a Hot-Car Tragedy
- Simple rule: Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, not even for a minute. It’s dangerous, and it’s against the law in many states.
- Set up cell phone reminders for yourself to be sure you’ve gotten children safely to their destination.
- Check the car to make sure that all occupants leave it or are carried out when unloading. If you lock the door with your key rather than with your remote, it forces that one last look in the car before leaving it.
- Always lock your car and keep keys and remotes away from children.
- To serve as a reminder, keep a stuffed animal on the front passenger seat when carrying a child in the back seat.
- Place something in the back seat that you would need, such as your purse, briefcase, or cell phone.
- Have a plan that your childcare provider will call you if your child doesn’t show up.
- If you see children alone in a car, especially if they seem hot, call 911 immediately to help get them out.
Keeping Kids Safe From Hot Cars
Just how hot can the inside of a car get? On the “Consumer 101” TV show, Emily Thomas, PhD, a Consumer Reports expert, shows host Jack Rico how rapidly interior temperatures can rise—and what you can do to protect your kids.
