We are hearing more stories about infants and toddlers being left in hot cars. One mom admitted to leaving her 16-month-old in a hot car while she shopped. Why do people need to be reminded not to do this? Parents: if you wouldn’t sit outside in the hot car, don’t leave your kids in the car, or pets for that matter.
According to the nonprofit safety group Kids and Cars, more than 600 US kids have died due to heatstroke from being left in a car. Many times an adult intentionally leaves a kid in the car, other times they just forget the child is there. Some kids have even climbed into a car without an adult knowing. The bottom line is this: NEVER EVER leave a child alone in a hot car, even briefly.
- Make sure to check the front and back seats of your car before you leave.
- If you see a child in a hot car, call 911 and get them out if they look sick.
- Lock your car when it is empty so that kids don’t get in without you knowing.
According to Christopher Haines, DO, director of pediatric emergency medicine at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children in Philadelphia, “On a day that is just 72 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature [inside a car] can increase by 30 to 40 degrees in an hour, and 70% of this increase occurs the first 30 minutes.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tells you to get involved. When you see a child in a hot car, get them out. “If they are in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible,” states the NHTSA’s web site.
Here is a list of tips from Kids and Cars about Child Safety.
- Never leave children alone in or around cars; not even for a minute.
- Put something you’ll need like your cell phone, handbag, employee ID or brief case, etc., on the floor board in the back seat.
- Get in the habit of always opening the back door of your vehicle every time you reach your destination to make sure no child has been left behind. This will soon become a habit. We call this the “Look Before You Lock” campaign.
- Keep a large stuffed animal in the child’s car seat when it’s not occupied. When the child is placed in the seat, put the stuffed animal in the front passenger seat. It’s a visual reminder that anytime the stuffed animal is up front you know the child is in the back seat in a child safety seat.
- Make arrangements with your child’s day care center or babysitter that you will always call if your child will not be there on a particular day as scheduled.
- Keep vehicles locked at all times; even in the garage or driveway and always set your parking brake.
- Keys and/or remote openers should never be left within reach of children.
- Make sure all child passengers have left the vehicle after it is parked.
- When a child is missing, check vehicles and car trunks immediately.
- If you see a child alone in a vehicle, get involved. If they are hot or seem sick, get them out as quickly as possible. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
- Be especially careful about keeping children safe in and around cars during busy times, schedule changes and periods of crisis or holidays.
- Use drive-thru services when available. (restaurants, banks, pharmacies, dry cleaners, etc.)
- Use your debit or credit card to pay for gas at the pump.
