In the past 25 years, more than 970 children in the United States have died of heatstroke after being left in a hot car during the summer, according to The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
It can be easy for parents and caregivers to leave a child in a car just for a "quick run" into the store. Still, these senseless tragedies are essential for everyone to understand that even though they can happen, moments like these are preventable.
Here are the facts
- A child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than the average adult's. When a child is left in a vehicle, the child's body temperature can rise even faster, making the situation very dangerous.
- Heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches 104 degrees.
- A child can die when their body temperature reaches 107 degrees.
- In 2023, 29 children died of heatstroke in vehicles.
- In 2018 and 2019, there was a record number of hot car deaths - 53 children died both years - the most in 25 years, according to NoHeatstroke.org.
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Everyone can help to prevent hot car deaths for children. NHTSA has created safety tips for parents and caregivers to practice safety before leaving their children.
Tips for parents and caregivers
- Never leave a child in a vehicle unattended for any length of time. Rolling windows down or parking in the shade does little to change the vehicle's interior temperature.
- Make it a habit to check your entire vehicle—especially the back seat—before locking the doors and walking away.
- Ask your childcare provider to call if your child doesn't show up for care as expected.
- Place a personal item like a purse or briefcase in the back seat; this is another reminder to look before you lock. Write a note or place a stuffed animal in the passenger's seat to remind you that a child is in the back seat.
- Store car keys out of a child's reach and teach children that a vehicle is not a play area.
- Always lock your car, even when you are not using it. Even if you do not have a child, someone in the neighborhood could get into the unlocked vehicle.
If you see a child seated alone in a locked car, act immediately and call 911. A distressed child should be removed from the vehicle as quickly as possible and rapidly cooled.
