Children, Safety and Hot Cars

By Caitlin Bootsma
Consultant to the VIRTUS_^® Programs

It may or may not be illegal in your state to leave children unattended in the car, but regardless of legality, is it not worth the risk.

In the last 25 years, 600 children have died because they’ve been left alone in hot cars. This is rarely intentional—rather adults have left “just for a few minutes” or forgot kids were left in the car, a situation that happens more often than you might think.

The Kid Safe Foundation wisely reminds us, “Never say never.” That is, do not think you would never forget a child in a car or leave them unattended for too long. Instead, focus on what you can do to prevent an unintended emergency situation or fatality.

1. Never leave kids (or pets) alone in a hot car: Even with the windows down, temperatures can rise extremely quickly and small children are not able to get out.
    
2. Understand the risk: The temperature in a car can rise 30 to 40 degrees in just a half an hour. Think about what that means if the temperature is already 75 degrees outside. At 105 degrees, because children’s bodies can’t regulate temperatures as well as adults, they can suffer the effects of heat stroke. Symptoms can include dizziness, sluggishness, seizures and death.
    
3. Don’t Allow Children to Play in the Car: Children might see a car as a fun place to play, but don’t allow this to become a habit. If they are allowed free access to the car, they could easily shut themselves inside on a hot day without you noticing immediately.
    
4. Leave Something In the Back Seat: Consider storing your purse, wallet or phone in the backseat. Because you’ll reach for those things before locking the car, they could prevent you from forgetting a child who is buckled in the backseat.
    
5. Use a Child Safety Mirror: These mirrors can be attached to your rearview mirror and are great devices for keeping an eye on children. It will also help you be mindful that they are in the car.

It is easy to think there is no way you could forget your child or not realize they are trapped in a hot car. Unfortunately, child fatalities occur this way every summer. Take the extra precautions—you may just save a life.

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