Hot Car Safety this Summer

Scartelli Olszewski P.C.

Children dying from heatstroke in cars, either because they were left or became trapped, has increased in recent years. In 2018 and 2019, a record 53 children died of vehicular heatstroke each year. In 2020, 25 children lost their lives in hot cars, and in 2021 five children have died so far.

Here is what parents need to know about the danger of hot cars, and steps they can take to help keep their children safe.

A child’s body heats up three to five times faster than an adult’s does
Cracking a window does little to keep it cool once the car is turned off
Heat stroke can happen when the outside temperature is as low as 57 degrees F

While some parents knowingly leave a child in the car and some children gain access to an unattended vehicle, a shocking 54% of hot car deaths are the result of a parent (or caregiver) forgetting that a child is in the car. So how can hot car deaths be prevented?

Make it a habit to check the vehicle every time you exit to make sure the child is not forgotten when you get to the destination.
Always lock your car and store keys safely away from children. While it’s easy for a child to get into a car without your knowledge, it’s easier to make sure that the car is not accessible to them. Teach kids that a car is not a place for play!
Never ever leave a child alone in a car, even if the windows are down. When the outside temperature is 85 degrees, after just 10 minutes the temperature inside a car can climb to 104, after 20 minutes to 114, and so on.
Take the free online hot car safety course offered by the National Safety Council: NSC Children In Hot Car

Is it illegal to leave a child in the car? The answer is yes. Hot cars and children should never mix. In Pennsylvania, a person commits an offense if he/she leaves a child younger than six years of age unattended when the motor vehicle is out of the person’s sight and under circumstances which endanger the health, safety or welfare of the child. If you see a child alone in a vehicle, make sure the child is okay and responsive. If not, call 911 immediately.

Sources

You Can Help Prevent Hot Car Deaths

Prevent Child Deaths in Hot Cars

Heatstroke Deaths of Children in Vehicles