Look Before You Lock: Don't Leave Kids In Hot Cars
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — With triple-digit temperatures upon us again this weekend, it's important to remember the dangers of leaving children and pets alone in hot cars, and to look before you lock.
Sacramento highs are expected to reach 102 degrees Friday and stay in the triple digits through Sunday, with a high of 99 degrees.
According to a study released by the National Safety Council this month, an average of 37 children die each year due to pediatric vehicular heatstroke.
RELATED: 37 US Children Die In Hot Cars Each Year, Report Says
Just this month a nine-month-old girl died in Houston after being left in a hot car for nearly three hours.
The organization KidsAndCars.Org works to educate parents about the dangers of PVH. The website explains the dangers of leaving a child unattended in a hot car, citing that it can only take minutes for core temperatures to rise and the young bodies to shut down.
The National Safety Council gives five recommendations to prevent heatstroke:
- Never leave your child alone in a car, not even for a minute
- Keep your car locked when you are not in it so kids don't gain access
- Create reminders by putting something in the back seat next to your child, such as a briefcase, purse, cell phone or your left shoe
- If you see a child alone in a car, call 911
- Set a calendar reminder on your electronic device to make sure you dropped your child off at daycare; develop a plan so you will be alerted if your child is late or a no-show
Additionally, new technology can help prevent these accidents. GMC AND Nissan both have vehicles with an alert system to remind drivers to check rear seats. And, some car seats, including some manufactured by Evenflo, have been designed to generate a series of tones activated through a "smart" chest clip and wireless receiver to remind the driver that a child is in the rear seat within two seconds of turning off the vehicle.
