Back-to-School Routines Can Be Deadly in the Heat

Media
7 minutes ago
2 min read

As hot summer temperatures continue and back-to-school routines begin, parents and caregivers are urged to make car safety a priority. Nearly 40 children die each year in the United States after being left alone in hot cars. This year, there have already been 18 deaths nationally. It’s a tragedy that can happen to anyone.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, more than half of pediatric heatstroke deaths happen when a parent or caregiver unintentionally forgets a child in a vehicle. In many cases, this occurs when daily routines change.

A parked car can heat up extremely fast. Even with windows cracked, the interior temperature can reach 125 degrees within minutes. Children do not cool themselves as efficiently as adults, and their body temperature rises three to five times faster.

“There is no safe amount of time to leave a child alone in a vehicle—not even for a quick errand. Not with a window down. Not in the shade. Not ever. Even on a mild day, your car can heat up like an oven.” —Dr. Sayone Thihalolipavan, County Public Health Office

Help Prevent Hot Car Deaths

If you see a child alone in a car, take immediate action.
Call 911 and provide an exact location.

Ask people nearby for help finding the driver.
Remove the child from the vehicle if they are in danger. Break a window farthest from the child if needed.
Move the child to a cool place and begin cooling them with water or fanning.

Routine changes, lack of sleep, stress, fatigue and distractions affect every parent and are the leading factors behind children being unintentionally left in vehicles. Rear-facing car seats look the same to drivers whether a baby is in them or not, and sleeping babies are often silent passengers.

Practice Safe Habits

Place your child’s diaper bag in the front seat as a visual reminder.
Put something you need for the day in the back seat with your child like your purse, phone, briefcase, work badge or even your left shoe.
Check the child’s car seat every time you exit the vehicle, even if your child is not with you.
When you park your car, make it a habit to stop, look, and lock.
Ask your childcare provider to call you right away if your child hasn’t arrived as scheduled.
Keep your car locked at home so children do not climb inside.