In a new study by SafeKids.org, 14% of parents have left their children alone in parked vehicles despite the risk of heatstroke. A study by Public Opinion Strategies of Washington, D.C., found an alarming proportion of parents, especially dads and those with young children, have left their children alone in parked cars despite the dangers of doing so. Safekids.org also reports that 11% of parents admit forgetting their children in the car and nearly 1 in 4 parents of children under three admit the same. 25 children were killed in hot cars in 2020, and in 2021, 23 children were killed.
A car's interior temperature can rise up to 20 degrees in just ten minutes and cracking a window does nothing to combat the heat. When a child is left unattended in a hot vehicle, it can result in swift, tragic, and devastating outcomes. When the body cannot cool itself effectively, it suffers from heatstroke. As a result, the body's temperature rises dangerously. It is particularly dangerous for young children, whose bodies heat up to five times faster than an adult. Children can die if their temperature reaches 107 degrees. Also revealed in the study are bystanders who see children left behind in vehicles, but do not always take action.
Leaving your child alone in a car, even for a minute can result in heatstroke-related injury and death. If you are not in your car, keep it locked so kids can not gain access. If you see an abandoned child in a car, call 911. Let’s all look out for our children and have a safe and happy summer!
Sources/Related Links:
https://www.nhtsa.gov/child-safety/you-can-help-prevent-hot-car-deaths
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