National Heatstroke Prevention Day Reminds Parents How to Prevent Hot Car Tragedies

ORLANDO, Fla., May 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — To mark National Heatstroke Prevention Day, representatives from Safe Kids Worldwide (SKW), the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) joined local advocates today at the Children’s Safety Village in Orlando, Florida to share proven strategies to prevent child deaths and injuries in hot vehicles.

The event featured Makia Wallace, who lost her 21-month-old son, Jace, after he was left in a hot car by his caregiver. Wallace started the Love Like Jace Foundation in April 2021 to advance child safety.

“I know my son is safe in heaven cheering me on and saying, ‘Keep going mommy, fight for every kid that looks like me. Be the voice for those who can’t speak up,'” said Wallace. “This can happen to anyone, which is scary. But these tragedies are preventable, which is hopeful. And that’s the hope I embrace now.”

SKW, JPMA, and NHTSA are part of a group of advocates, including KidsAndCars.org, noheatstroke.org, and National Safety Council, all committed to preventing kids from dying in hot cars by using strategies like awareness, education, technology, and advocacy. To view prevention information and tools, visit safekids.org/heatstroke or kidsandcars.org.

“Our goal is to make sure that heatstroke doesn’t claim the life of another child,” said Torine Creppy, president of SKW. “As temperatures rise and schedules change, there’s a real danger that we may see more tragedies this year, so we’re calling on everyone to be part of the solution and help save lives.”

“American families lose 38 young children in hot cars each year, and these child deaths are preventable,” said Joseph Colella, director of child passenger safety for JPMA. “We all need to be part of preventing children from becoming heatstroke victims. For example, whether you have young children or not, consistently locking your parked vehicle can prevent a neighborhood child from entering it and becoming trapped.”

Research shows the temperature inside a car can heat up 19 degrees in just 10 minutes and up to 55 degrees in a few hours. Heatstroke occurs when the body is unable to cool itself quickly enough. Young children are particularly at risk, since a child’s body heats up three to five times faster than an adult’s. When a child’s internal temperature reaches 104 degrees, major organs begin to shut down, and when the temperature reaches 107 degrees, the child can die.

Hot car deaths involve families from all walks of life. On average, half of these tragedies occur when children are inadvertently left in vehicles by distracted caregivers. Since 2020, a growing percentage of hot car deaths occur when children gain access to unlocked vehicles on their own and become trapped. The remaining cases mostly occur when children are intentionally left in vehicles, usually following a change in routine or when the driver intends to only be away for a brief period.

Parents, caregivers, and bystanders are encouraged to help reduce the number of heatstroke deaths with the following steps:

• Look before you lock, and never leave a young child alone in a car, not even for a minute.
• Lock your doors, and keep your keys and key fobs out of children’s reach. Ask your neighbors to do the same.
• Create reminders. Put something in the back of your car that you’ll need at your final destination such as a phone, briefcase, or purse.
• Arrange for your childcare provider to contact you right away if your child hasn’t arrived as scheduled.
• If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel wants you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life.

SOURCE Safe Kids Worldwide; JPMA