In 2022, this number was 33. In 2023: 29. So far in 2024: 17. There are 79 children and young people who lost their lives in a hot car in the United States in less than 3 years. Seventy-nine too many – and possibly more. This is the knowledge gathered through the nonprofit Kids And Car Safety, but no more deaths may be reported. Car fatalities can happen to any family, and the most productive way to avoid them is to learn yourself and stay alert.
To learn more about the causes of car fatalities and how we can save them, we spoke with five experts in the field, including Amber Rollins, Director of Child and Car Safety. “Kids And Car Safety believes that the solution to those salvageable tragedies lies in a combination of sensing and alerting technologies in all cars and education,” he says.
“The most damaging mistake a parent can make is thinking that leaving a child in a vehicle will never happen to them or their family,” says Rollins. Instead of assuming that it can’t happen to you, take a look at Spot the problem, find out why you’re falling, and take precautionary measures to prevent it from falling toward you.
“The internal temperature of a vehicle can reach 20 degrees after just 10 minutes, even if the window is open or in a shady area,” says David Aguilar, senior injury prevention coordinator at Children’s Health Dallas.
Leaving a child in a hot car can affect anyone. “It was a teacher, a dentist, a social worker, a police officer, a nurse, a clergyman, a soldier, and even a rocket scientist,” Rollins says.
Here are some general tips from the experts we spoke with to prevent you from car fatalities:
Heat stroke can occur when the body temperature reaches 104 degrees. In children, symptoms may appear with nausea, vomiting, rapid breathing, rash, and dizziness. If you find your child or any other child in a hot car and think they are too hot or suffering from heat stroke, call 911 immediately. While waiting to arrive, get the child out of the car by any means possible.
There are also a variety of products on the market that you can use to leave your child in the car.
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