Child Safety Group: Texas Leads Nation For Most Hot Car Child Deaths
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Summer has officially started and temperatures are on the rise, and so is one of the hazards of the season – kids in hot cars. Last year dozens of children died in hot cars; five were from Texas.
So far this year, MedStar Mobile Healthcare crews have responded to two incidents where a child was left in a hot car; both children were under 3 years old.
With a total of 143 child deaths, Texas ranks No. 1 as the state with the most child deaths in hot cars between 1990 and 2020.
The nonprofit child safety organization Kids and Cars offers some tips to help keep kids safe —
- Create a reminder to check the back seat. Put something in the back seat that you will need, like your cell phone, handbag, employee ID or brief case so that you have to open the back door to retrieve that item every time you park. Or keep a large stuffed animal in the child's car seat. When the child is placed in the car seat, put the stuffed animal in the front passenger seat. It's a visual reminder that the child is in the back seat.
- Keep car keys and remote openers out of reach of children.
- Use technology. Apps like WAZE have child reminders that are activated when you arrive at your destination.
- If you see a child alone in a vehicle, get involved. Call 911 immediately. If the child seems hot or sick, get them out of the vehicle as quickly as possible.
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