KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Vehicular heatstroke is one of the leading causes of non-crash, vehicle-related death for children 14 and younger in the United States. Parents and caregivers who think child heatstroke deaths could “never” happen on their watch should think again. Tragically, “never” does happen.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region 7, which includes Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska urges parents and caregivers to learn about and share critical information about the dangers of leaving children alone in hot cars. Help us spread the word: Once You Park, Stop, Look, Lock.
Since 1998, when safety advocates first began tracking, vehicular heatstroke has killed 982 children.
Each death was preventable.
- More than half (52.6%) of these tragedies occur when a child is “forgotten” by a parent or caregiver and left in a hot car. A busy parent or caregiver may unintentionally forget that a quiet or sleeping child is in the back of the vehicle.
- More than half (58%) of these heatstroke deaths occur at home.
- Nearly one-third of these tragedies occur with children under one year of age.
- In 2023, 29 children died due to vehicular heatstroke
- On average, 37 children die each year because of vehicular heatstroke.
- 15 children have died in hot cars so far in 2024.
Why are hot cars so unsafe? When parked outdoors, internal vehicle temperatures can rise quickly and become up to 50 degrees warmer than the outside air temperatures. Even if it’s a cool day outside, a hot vehicle interior may still be dangerous for a child, as a child’s body temperature increases three to five times faster than an adult’s.
“On average, one child dies from heatstroke every 10 days in the United States from being left in a car or crawling into an unlocked vehicle. What is most tragic is that every single one of these deaths could have been prevented,” said NHTSA Regional Administrator Susan DeCourcy. “Children do find their way into unlocked vehicles, so we also have to teach our children that the vehicle is not a playground and that playing in and around the car is dangerous,”
Toddlers and young children, who are also at risk of vehicular heatstroke, are more likely to climb into a vehicle without adult supervision. These children who gain access to a vehicle interior account for nearly one-quarter of child heatstroke fatalities.
The message NHTSA wants mothers, fathers, and caregivers to remember is “anyone is susceptible to forgetfulness.” It doesn’t matter who you are, what you do, or where you come from. Routines are often upended at a moment’s notice in a fast-paced society. It is during these unforeseen moments that many of these preventable tragedies occur. For this reason, it is more important than ever to remember: “Once You Park, Stop, Look, Lock.”
NHTSA urges all parents and caregivers to do these three things to help prevent child heatstroke:
- When getting out of a car, make it a habit to look in the back seat EVERY time.
- NEVER leave a child in a vehicle unattended, even for a minute.
- ALWAYS lock the car and put the keys out of reach.
If you see a child in a hot vehicle:
- Make sure the child is okay and responsive. If not, call 911 immediately.
- If the child appears to be okay, attempt to locate the parents or have the facility’s security or management page the vehicle owner over the PA system.
- If multiple people are available, one should wait at the vehicle while others actively search for the child’s parent or caregiver.
- If the child is not responsive or appears to be in distress, attempt to gain access to the vehicle interior to assist the child — even if that means breaking a window. Some states have “Good Samaritan” laws that protect you when helping someone during an emergency.
Warning signs of heatstroke include:
- Red, hot, and moist or dry skin
- Not sweating
- A strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Acting strangely
If a child exhibits any of these signs after being in a hot vehicle, quickly spray the child with cool water or with a garden hose — NEVER put a child in an ice bath. Call 911 or a local emergency number immediately.
Remember: Once You Park, Stop, Look, Lock.
On August 1, 2024 The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will conduct an X blast on its official X channel, @nhtsagov to raise awareness and share information that can prevent hot car deaths. Sadly, 15 children have died in a hot car already this year, and ten of those heatstroke deaths happened in July alone. NHTSA will post 12 times throughout the day, from 7 a.m. ET to 7 p.m. ET, as part of a 12-hour social media campaign to reach audiences in every time zone. Several of these posts will also be translated into Spanish to further raise awareness. Additionally, federal agencies have been encouraged to engage with these posts and share information, resources, and prevention tips on heat-related topics during this X blast.
For more information on vehicle heatstroke, visit www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/heatstroke. For current heatstroke statistics, visit noheatstroke.org.