At the end of July in Phoenix, Arizona, two children died in hot cars. Their deaths were the 29th and 30th of the year, marking a sad record. We lost more children to vehicular heatstroke through July 2017 than through any other July since the first year records were kept: 1998. And in August, two more young lives ended in hot car deaths in Oklahoma and Florida. I can’t imagine the agony of the parents and caregivers, and the sadness of family and friends who will forever miss them.
As a mother, I want to believe I would never have forgotten one of my kids in the backseat of the car. However, after a decade of investigating transportation fatalities, I know all of us experience lapses in attention and make errors on occasion. Juvenile vehicular heatstroke can occur in just minutes.
Heatstroke and Death Happen Fast
On a 70 degree day, a car’s interior temperature rises to fatal temperatures in about 30 minutes. The temperature inside a vehicle rises nearly 20 degrees in the first 10 minutes. Leaving windows slightly open doesn’t help. Young children inside cars are especially at risk because their body temperatures rise three to five times faster than adults’. Heatstroke starts at an internal body temperature of 104 degrees. When core temperature reaches 107 degrees, death rapidly ensues.
Most people are certain this could never happen to their child, but hot car deaths are not specific to any geographic region or socioeconomic class. Over half (54 percent) of such deaths occur because the driver becomes distracted and simply forgets that a child is in the backseat. Technology such as vehicle rear seat reminders and car seat alerts are becoming available, but they aren’t a complete solution. Don’t rely on alert systems alone. Instead, develop a system to ensure your child is not left behind.
Steps to Take When Starting Out
Use a few of these ideas each time you buckle your child into the backseat:
- Put your cellphone in the seatback pocket so you remove it along with your child when you get to your destination
- Buckle your purse, briefcase or diaper bag in the back seat
- By securing items via pocket or seatbelt, you’re reducing the chance that they could become airborne and hurt someone in a hard stop or crash
- If your daily routine is different than usual, tape a note to your dashboard the night before, set a calendar reminder on your phone, and have a plan to double-check that your child was dropped off at daycare
Steps to Take When Exiting a Vehicle
Your last stop of the morning or evening can be hectic. Take a deep breath and run through your mental checklist. Respond to all alerts your car is sounding. Make a habit of looking in the backseat before you lock your car to check if young passengers are still there. Always lock your car when you leave it, and keep keys out of children’s reach. In 2016, 28 percent of children who died in hot cars gained access on their own.
Never Leave Children Unattended Inside a Car
Most parents and caregivers say, “I’d never leave my child in the car alone.” What if you forgot something and needed to pop back into your home for it? A few seconds’ absence can turn into dangerous minutes, so never give in to the urge. In addition, keep an eye out for children left in other cars. If you see an unattended child, call 911 right away. If emergency help is not immediately available, follow your instincts to decide if you should intervene. Some states have Good Samaritan and Hot Car laws, but if a child looks unresponsive, immediate action may be needed to save his or her life.
Make prevention measures part of your daily routine, and talk to your caregivers, family and friends about them, too. Hot car deaths are all preventable, and that’s what makes them so heartbreaking.