According to the National Safety Council (NSC), in 2023, there were 29 child hot car deaths. So far, in 2024, 15 child hot car deaths have been reported. And, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 40 children die every year from heatstroke because they were left or became trapped in a vehicle.
The NHTSA, part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, reports 53 percent of hot car deaths occur because an adult forgets a child in a car.
Parents, and those who transport children, must have procedures in place to make sure they always check the back seat, and all seats, in a vehicle before they lock the doors. One way to do this is to put a briefcase, purse, or mobile phone next to the child's car seat so that you will always check the back seat before leaving the vehicle.
Another cause of hot car deaths is children entering unattended vehicles. The NHTSA advises that car doors and trunks always be locked. They explain that when the temperature outside is 700F, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach more than 1150F. Rolling windows down or parking in the shade will not make enough of a difference in the temperature inside the vehicle, and the body temperature of a child can rise three to five times faster than an adult's.
Never allow children to play in an unattended vehicle, and make sure the keys to the vehicle are out of children's reach. If a child is missing, check all vehicles quickly, including the trunk. B. Kay Richter "NHTSA tips to prevent hot car deaths this summer," https://www.mrt.com/news/article/child-safety-summer-19551589.php (Jul. 02, 2024).
Commentary and Checklist
According to the NHTSA, if members of the public notice a child alone in a vehicle, they should check on the child to make sure it is responsive. If not, call 911 immediately.
Then, even if you have to break a window, try to get into the vehicle to help the child. According to the NHTSA website, "Many states have 'Good Samaritan' laws that protect people from lawsuits for getting involved to help a person in an emergency."
Here are some additional helpful tips for protecting children:
- Develop habits
- Open the back door of a car every time you park to ensure no one is left behind
- For children in childcare, if they don't show up, ask childcare to notify you immediately
- Be extra careful if your routine involving transporting children changes
- Instruct children on how to use the glow-in-the-dark trunk release in a car's trunk, if the vehicle has one.
- Teach children to honk the horn and/or turn on the hazard lights if they become trapped in a car. Check to see if this works because not all horns work when the engine is turned off.
https://www.kidsandcars.org/child-proof-your-ride
