Today is National Heatstroke Prevention Day. Parents and caregivers are asked to check the backseat before locking their car.
Since 1990, more than 1,083 children have died from heatstroke in hot cars. Another 7,500 children have survived, however, they now face varying types and severity of injuries, according to Kids and Car Safety, a national organization dedicated to keeping children and pets safe in and around vehicles.
Most of these tragedies occur when a child is forgotten. There are many scenarios that can lead to forgotten situations such as a disruption in the family’s normal routine or a child who has fallen asleep or in a rear-facing car seat.
In some cases, children climb into vehicles and cannot get out. Kids and Car Safety suggests looking in vehicles first if a child goes missing.
A car can reach 109 degrees Fahrenheit on an 80-degree day after only 20 minutes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The temperature will increase to 118 degrees after 40 minutes and 123 degrees after an hour. Temperatures these high can cause heatstroke which can result in death.
“As the weather warms, Kids and Car Safety is calling for heightened awareness and proactive measures to prevent hot car deaths and injuries, particularly among young children. With temperatures rising across the country, the risk of vehicular heatstroke becomes ever more prevalent, emphasizing the critical need for education and vigilance among caregivers,” said Janette Fennell, president of Kids and Car Safety.
Vehicles today have been adapted to include “end-of-trip reminder alerts” that appear on a vehicle's dashboard to check the back seat. The devices do not detect children in the backseat.
Kids and Car Safety offers some safety tips to parents and caregivers:
- Never leave a child alone in a vehicle, not even for a minute.
- Take proactive steps to ensure a child is not inadvertently left in a vehicle.
- Place a reminder item (diaper bag, stuffed animal) in the front seat as a visual cue when a child is with you.
- Make it a habit to open the back door and check the back seat every time you leave your vehicle.
- Be especially careful during changes in routine or during busy times.
- Ask childcare providers to call you immediately if your child doesn’t show up as scheduled.
- Prevent children from gaining access to parked vehicles.
- Keep vehicles locked at all times.
- Keep keys and fobs out of reach of children at all times.
- If a child goes missing, check all vehicles' inside, floor, and trunk immediately, even if they’re locked.
