Hot Car Safety

Air Date: 7/28/2003

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Every year children who are safely buckled into their car safety seats die from hyperthermia (unusually high body temperature) when they are left in the family car. As every parent knows, it takes time to put a child into a safety seat and take him out again each time you get into and out of the car. Take the time. A few seconds of your time can save your child's life.

According to National SAFE Kids campaign, more than 30 children died last year of hyperthermia because parents and caregivers left them unattended in hot cars. General Motors (GM) researchers have identified 150 children who have died since 1996 in all regions of the country as the result of being left or trapped in hot, parked vehicles. Their research showed many of the children were in car seats and left behind or forgotten by an adult while others gained access to an unlocked car and could not get out.

Heat affects children and pets more quickly than adults. When they are left unattended in temperatures as mild as 60 degrees Fahrenheit, children and pets can face serious injury or even death.

Dangers of Leaving Children/Pets in Hot Cars

• Temperature inside a parked car can exceed 122 degrees Fahrenheit within 10-20 minutes on a typical sunny day. Within 40 minutes, it will get so hot that a child or a pet inside the car could die.
• Young children’s core body temperature may increase three to five times more than adults and could cause permanent injury or even death.
• Rising temperatures inside a car can cause a child and pet to suffer from heat stress, dehydration and even shock.

Tips to keep your children/pets safe in cars this summer

• Children should never be left alone in a car, not even to run a quick errand. Though it may be tempting to leave a sleeping child, the results could be devastating.
• Always keep car doors locked-even when the car is in the garage or driveway. Children may play in the car and become trapped if they are not strong enough to open the doors.
• Check the temperature of child safety seats and seat belts before buckling kids up. The metal can become hot enough to cause burns.
• Call 911 immediately if you find a child or pet left alone in a parked car or if your child or pet becomes locked in your car. The child and pet’s life may depend upon it.
• Upon exiting your car, always check to ensure that all child passengers and pets have left the car. Remember to remove sleeping infants and children from car seats.
• Teach children never to play in or around a vehicle and keep keys out of children’s reach at all times.
• Carry plenty of water or other fluids when traveling with children and pets to prevent them from dehydrating.

Additional Resources

450 Edison Way Reno, Nevada 89502 (775)858-5700 Fax (775)858-5720