Birth & Parenting News: Summer Safety

Children should never be left alone in a car.

As the summer begins, Safe Kids USA is reminding parents and caregivers about the risks of leaving a child alone in a car. Between 1997 and now, 498 children have died as a result of hyperthermia or heat stroke when unattended in vehicles. On average, 38 children die this way every year, with 49 deaths from heat stroke reported in 2010. Already in 2011, four children have died, and summer has not yet started. It need not be a very hot day or even a sunny day for this to occur, and deaths have occurred with temperatures in the 70s on cloudy days. Vehicle-related hyperthermia deaths generally occur in one of three ways:

  • In 51% of the cases, the driver arrives at his destination and is so intent on the next activity that he gets out of the car, locks it up, and heads directly to the office, inside the house or into a store leaving a baby in the back seat behind.
  • In 30% of cases, young, unattended children gain access to an unlocked car or trunk for play and are overcome by heat; they are unable to leave the vehicle; many are gone hours before someone checks the vehicle.
  • In 18% of cases, the adult intentionally leaves the child alone in the car while they go to work or
    run an errand; they get distracted and may forget the child altogether.

Each Wednesday, our Birth & Parenting News blog highlights the latest news items, research results, consumer alerts, and legislative action alerts of interest to expectant and new parents and the professionals who work them.

Posted by Patty Brennan on June 8, 2011 • Filed under Birth & Parenting News
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