Be Extra Cautious to Avoid Leaving Children in Hot Vehicles
It’s that dreaded time of the year, when excessive heat and adult distractions prove fatal ingredients when young children are left in the backseat of a vehicle. When it comes to the safety of children, you can never be TOO careful.
In a recent incident in north Florida, a 10-month-old baby was found dead after being left in a SUV parked inside a garage for five hours by a babysitter. Even though the vehicle was in a garage, law enforcement officials said the temperature inside the SUV was 133 degrees when the child was found.
With the current spikes in our temperatures in the 90s each day, the time it takes to die in an unattended vehicle gets shorter and shorter. Consider this: If the temperature is 88 degrees, in a little more than 20 minutes the temperature inside a vehicle can reach a deadly 120 degrees Fahrenheit. And studies have shown that leaving windows cracked does not significantly slow the heating process or decrease the maximum temperature inside the vehicle.
The sad thing about these deaths is that they are 100 percent preventable. But it all depends on adults to stem this tide of tragedies.
According to Kids and Car Safety, more than 1,000 children have died in hot cars nationwide since 1990. The organization is dedicated to outreach and education concerning this crisis. Among Kids and Car Safety tips:
- Make a habit of opening the back door every time you park to ensure no one is left behind.
- To enforce this habit, put an item in your back seat that you can’t start your day without. (phone, purse, briefcase, laptop, employee badge)
- Clearly announce and confirm who is getting each child out of the vehicle. Miscommunication can lead to everyone thinking someone else removed the child.
- Ask your childcare worker to call you right away if your child hasn’t arrived as scheduled.
Remember: In this increasingly busy world, you can never be too busy to ensure the safety of those you love.
Posted 07/30/23