A child’s body temperature can rise 3x-5x faster than an adult—making them extremely susceptible to heat stroke. Vehicular Heatstroke is one of the leading causes of non-crash vehicle fatalities for children 14 and younger.
Hot car deaths are preventable. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has shared the following car safety tips to help parents and caregivers keep their little ones safe:
- Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle for any length of time—even if the windows are rolled down or the car is parked in the shade, it does little to help cool off the interior temperature of the vehicle.
- Check your entire vehicle before leaving—especially the back seat.
- Keep car keys out of reach of little ones and teach them that a vehicle is not a play area.
- Remind yourself to look before you lock by placing a purse, briefcase or other personal item in the back seat, or have a note or stuffed animal in the passenger seat next to you to remind you that a child is in the back seat.
For more safety information, please visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/heatstroke