On hot days, the temperature inside your car can reach deadly levels in just 10 minutes.
In 2017, 42 children died of vehicular heatstroke. Heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches about 104 degrees. A core body temperature of about 107 degrees is lethal.
When left in a hot car, a child’s temperature can rise quickly. A child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s.
Help prevent vehicular heatstroke with these eight steps from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
Never leave a child or pet in a car unattended—even if the windows are partially open or the engine is running, and the air conditioning is on.
Make a habit of looking in the car—front and back—before locking the door and walking away.
Ask your childcare provider to call you if your child does not show up for care as expected.
Place your purse or briefcase in the back seat so you do not accidentally leave a child or pet in the car.
Write a note or place a toy in the passenger’s seat to remind you of the child or pet in the car.
Teach children not to play in cars and store keys out of a child’s reach.
If you see a child alone in a locked car, get them out immediately and call 911.
Remove the child from the car and rapidly cool them if they are in distress due to heat.
Learn more extreme heat preparedness at www.ready.gov/heat.
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