Keep Your Family Safe from Hot Car Fatalities

By Danielle Pastula
Hot Car Fatalities

It is something we hear on the news, but none of us ever imagine that it could happen to our own families. Although many of us think we would never make this fatal mistake, a simple change in routine or a distracted mind are often the most common culprits in hot car fatalities.

Because no parent or caregiver is immune to making mistakes,ย itโ€™s important that we guard ourselves with awareness,ย information and preventative measures to keep our childrenย safe from vehicular heatstroke.

The Reality of Heatstroke

According to KidsandCars.org, โ€œOn average,ย 38 children die in hot cars each year fromย heat-related deaths after being trapped insideย motor vehicles.โ€ Thatโ€™s a staggering averageย of one death every nine days.

Heatstroke occurs when internal bodyย temperature exceeds 104 F. Once the bodyย reaches a core temperature of 107 F, cellsย are damaged and vital organs begin to shutย down, which quickly leads to death.

Children do not have fully developedย thermoregulatory systems and their bodyย temperatures rise three to five times fasterย than adults. Even knowingly leaving yourย child unattended in the car for a few minutesย as you run into the store or back into theย house to grab something you forgot can beย dangerous and even fatal.

The Heat Factor

In a study conducted by the Americanย Academy of Pediatrics, the temperatureย change in enclosed cars with ambientย temperatures between 72 and 96 F wasย recorded and analyzed. According toย the study, after 30 minutes the internalย temperature of an enclosed car increasesย an average of 34 degrees. After one to twoย hours that number jumps to 45โ€“50 degrees.

Researchers found that two-thirds of the totalย temperature rise inside a vehicle occurredย within the first 20 minutes of leaving aย car unattended. This rapid temperatureย rise occurs because the heat entering theย car through the windows is absorbed byย objects in the car such as the dashboard,ย seats and steering wheel, which then heatย the surrounding air in the car similar to aย convection oven. Itโ€™s this method of heatingย that can cause car temperatures to riseย rapidly and to an extremely high level, evenย when the outside temperature is moderate.

According to the Centers for Diseaseย Control and Prevention, โ€œWhenย temperatures outside range from 80 degreesย to 100 degrees, the temperature inside a carย parked in direct sunlight can quickly climbย to between 130 to 172.โ€

Prevention Tips

Again, all it takes is a simple change inย routine or a distraction for a hot car death toย occur. Using these simple prevention tips canย be the difference between life and death.

  • Place a trigger item next to your childโ€™s car seat, such as your purse, cellphone or your left shoe. Those are things that will trigger you to turn around and look at the back seat because youโ€™ll most likely need them, whether youโ€™re running errands, going to work or returning home.
  • Create a โ€œlook before you lockโ€ routine.ย Make sure your cellphone is stowed awayย and that you consciously look to the backย of your car before locking the doors.
  • Talk to your daycare providers and askย that they contact you if your child does notย arrive at daycare as scheduled.
  • Keep your car keys and remote openersย out of reach of children, and make sure yourย doors are locked at all times, even when yourย vehicle is in the garage or driveway.
  • Talk to your kids and make it clear thatย the car is not a play area and it is only toย be entered when you are with them.

The Law

Ever wonder what you would do if you saw a child in a car unattended? Bill HB131 provides immunity from civil liability if having to break into a locked vehicle to rescue a person or pets believed to be in danger of overheating.

This bill protects good Samaritans from liability when saving a child from a hot car, but some guidelines must still be followed:

1. Check to see if any doors areย unlocked.
2. Call 911 or law enforcementย either before or immediately afterย breaking into the vehicle.
3. Only use the necessary amountย of force to break in.
4. Remain with the person, child orย animal until first responders arriveย on the scene.

 

Related articles:

Tips For The Perfect Family Beach Day

7 Vitamin C Products For Happy And Glowing Skin

Practice Beach Safety This Summer!