Don’t ever leave a child unattended inside a car

Hot summer days have already claimed the lives of at least 15 children this year, in the United States, because of heatstroke, often caused by being left unattended in cars. All caregivers are strongly urged to never leave children alone in a vehicle, even for a moment. If a child is seen alone in a car, call 911 immediately. Heatstroke, also known as hyperthermia, is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths in children. It occurs when the body cannot cool itself quickly enough, leading to a dangerously high body temperature. Young children are particularly vulnerable, as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults. According to NoHeatStroke.com, since 1998, at least 976 children in the United States, have died from heatstroke in vehicles. A car can become dangerously hot, very quickly. Cracking a window doesn’t lower the temperature in a vehicle as much as people think it will, so the best practice is to make sure kids (or pets) are not left in a vehicle unattended – even for a minute. Everyone can prevent these deaths and near misses, by remembering to ACT: A – Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death, by never leaving a child alone in a car. Always keep the car locked when not in use, so children cannot get inside on their own. C – Create reminders. Place a stuffed animal or other memento in the child’s car seat when it’s empty, and move it to the front seat when the child is in the back. A phone, briefcase or purse can also be placed in the back seat, to ensure to check the back before leaving the car. T – Take action. If there’s a child alone in a car, call 911 immediately. Emergency personnel are trained to handle these situations and that call could save a life. For more information on preventing child heatstroke deaths, visitsafekids.org.