Don’t leave kids or pets in the car

Hot summer days have already claimed the lives of at least 10 children this year, in the United States, because of heatstroke, often caused by being left unattended in cars. All caregivers should never leave children alone in a vehicle, even for a moment. If a child is alone in a car, call 911 immediately.

Heatstroke, also known as hyperthermia, is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle- related deaths in children. It occurs when the body cannot cool itself quickly enough, leading to a dangerously high body temperature.

Young children are particularly vulnerable, as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults. According to No-HeatStroke.com, since 1998, at least 976 children in the United States, have died from heatstroke in vehicles.

A car can become dangerously hot very quickly. Cracking a window doesn’t lower the temperature in a vehicle as much as people think it will, so the best practice is to make sure kids or pets are not left in a vehicle unattended – even for a minute.

Everyone can prevent these deaths and near misses, by remembering to ACT: A: Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death, by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even for a minute. Always keep the car locked when not in use, so children cannot get inside on their own.

C: Create reminders. Place a stuffed animal or other memento in the child’s car seat when it’s empty, and move it to the front seat when the child is in the back. Place a phone, briefcase or purse in the back seat, to ensure that the back is checked before leaving the car.

T: Take action. If a child is alone in a car, call 911 immediately. Emergency personnel are trained to handle these situations. The call could save a life.

For more information on preventing child heatstroke deaths, visit safekids. org/heatstroke.