Community Corner

Heatstroke Has Killed 24 Children in Hot Cars Already in 2013

NHTSA advice: Teach children that a vehicle is not a play area and store keys out of a child's reach.

It may seem like all the reminders about hot cars pertain to dogs, but 24 children have died due to heatstroke already in 2013, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Medically termed “hyperthermia,” the record-setting heat this summer inspired the NHTSA to initiate a public education campaign urging parents and caregivers to think, “Where’s Baby? Look Before You Lock." 

When the outside temperature is in the low 80s, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach deadly levels in only 10 minutes, even with a window rolled down two inches. 

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Children’s bodies overheat easily, and infants and children under 4 are at the greatest risk for heat-related illness, according to the NHTSA, who share the following suggestions to prevent heatstroke:  

Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle — even if the windows are partially open or the engine is running and the air conditioning is on.

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Make a habit of looking in the vehicle — front and back — before locking the door and walking away.

Ask the childcare provider to call if the child does not show up for care as expected.

Do things that serve as a reminder that a child is in the vehicle, such as placing a purse or briefcase in the back seat to ensure no child is accidentally left in the vehicle, or writing a note or using a stuffed animal placed in the driver’s view to indicate a child is in the car seat.

Teach children that a vehicle is not a play area and store keys out of a child’s reach.

In addition, NHTSA and Safe Kids urge community members who see a child alone in a hot vehicle to immediately call 911 or the local emergency number. A child in distress due to heat should be removed from the vehicle as quickly as possible and rapidly cooled.



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