The Dangers of Leaving Children (and Pets) in Vehicles
I received an alert from the Texas Department of Public Safety a few days ago that I wanted to share here on my blog. DPS is reminding Texans about the dangers of leaving children in vehicles during the hot summer months, and I want to help spread the word.
Here is the DPS alert:
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is reminding Texans that as summer temperatures increase, so does the potential for vehicular heatstroke deaths in children. Every year, children die from heatstroke after being left in a vehicle or entering a vehicle unnoticed.
“Children should never be left unattended in a vehicle regardless of the weather; however especially in warmer temperatures, the likelihood of serious injury or death increases exponentially when a child – or anyone – remains in a hot vehicle for too long,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “DPS urges parents, caretakers and the public to do their part to prevent vehicular heatstroke by never leaving a child inside a vehicle without an adult present, and by notifying emergency personnel if they see a child alone in a car.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, temperatures inside a car can rise more than 20 degrees in only 10 minutes; and even with an outside temperature of 60 degrees, the temperature inside a car can reach 110 degrees. Leaving windows partially rolled down does not help. In addition, young children are particularly at risk since their bodies heat up faster than an adult.
DPS offers the following tips for preventing vehicular heatstroke deaths and injuries:
- Always check the back seats of your vehicle before walking away.
- Establish reminders that help ensure you remove children from the vehicle. For example: leave your bag, lunch or cell phone in the back seat with the child’s car seat.
- Call 9-1-1 if you see a child alone in a car, and emergency personnel will instruct you what to do next.
- If a child goes missing, open the doors and trunks to every vehicle in the area. One-third of all of the deaths occur when a child accesses a parked car unnoticed.
- Teach children not to play in vehicles and make sure to place the keys out of reach when not being used.
For more information, visit www.safercar.gov/parents/index.htm.
While the DPS alert only mentions children, I think it's very important for Texans to know that it is also extremely dangerous for pets to be left in hot vehicles. As the alert notes, temperatures can rise quickly, and leaving the car windows rolled down doesn't protect against the heat. During these hot summer months, take extra precautions to make sure that your precious cargo - whether it be yourself, your children, or your pets - are not left unattended in hot vehicles. I wish all Texans a happy and healthy summer!