Storm & Traffic Center
AAA MID-ATLANTIC REMINDS PARENTS AND GUARDIANS NOT TO LEAVE CHILDREN ALONE IN CARS DURING SUMMER
Inside Vehicle Temperatures Can Easily Soar Up To Nearly 200 Degrees
AAA Mid-Atlantic reminds parents and guardians of the dangers when leaving children unattended in cars during the summer, as the inside temperature of a vehicle can reach up to 131 to 172 degrees Fahrenheit when parked in direct sunlight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The reminder comes on the heels of an incident where a Pasadena man allegedly left a 5-year old boy alone in a hot, locked vehicle yesterday while at a shopping center in Catonsville in Baltimore County. Fortunately, the child survived as emergency personnel were summoned in time and broke the vehicle’s window to rescue the child when the vehicle’s owner could not be located.
“It’s important to remember that temperatures inside a car on a day with outside temperatures in the mid-to-high 90’s can quickly soar to nearly 200 degrees, which is hot enough to cook many foods and to kill most living things. Never leave children or even pets in a parked car,” said Ragina C. Averella, Manager of Public and Government Affairs at AAA Mid-Atlantic. “If you do see a child or pet locked in a car and can not find the owner of the vehicle, call 911 immediately.”
According to research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the risk of serious injury or death during hot weather is heightened for children left alone in vehicles. Heat stroke, which is a form of hyperthermia, is the leading cause of non-crash vehicle deaths for children under the age of 14. NHTSA reports at least 27 documented deaths per year.
AAA Mid-Atlantic and NHTSA offer the following safety tips:
· Never leave a child alone in a car – even with the windows partially opened – as a vehicle’s interior can still heat up quickly to deadly temperatures.
· Do not leave your children in a running vehicle with the air conditioner on even for a few minutes; your child may put the car into drive or even get caught in a closing power window, not to mention that you increase the risk of your car being hijacked and your child abducted.
· Make a habit of looking in the vehicle – front and back – before locking the door and walking away. Children have died because they fell asleep in their car seats and their parents didn’t realize they were still in the car.
· If your spouse or a guardian is taking your children to day care ask him or her to call you to make sure the drop-off went according to plan.
· Do things to remind you that a child is in the vehicle:
o Leave a written note in your vehicle where you will see it as you leave the vehicle, such as on the dashboard area.
o Place your purse, briefcase or something else you need in the back seat where your child is seated so that you will have to check that area when you leave the vehicle.
o Keep an object in your child’s car seat, such as a stuffed toy. When the child is buckled in, place the object where the driver will notice it when leaving the vehicle, as a reminder that a child is in the back seat.
· Do not let your children play in an unattended vehicle – teach them that a car is not a play area; always lock your car doors and keep car keys out of children’s reach.
Because temperatures inside parked cars can quickly reach dangerous levels, AAA Mid-Atlantic offers the following additional advice:
· When parked, use a sun shield to cover the windshield to minimize heat buildup and to help protect the car’s interior. Cover metal and plastic parts on seat belts and child safety seats to prevent burns.
· Consider purchasing window shades for both the front and rear windows of the car.
· If your car has leather seats, place a towel on the seats so it doesn’t burn your child.
· Open the vehicle’s doors and let the interior cool for a few minutes before entering.
If a child has spent a prolonged amount of time in a hot vehicle and appears to be showing signs of heat distress, call 911 immediately for medical assistance. Cool the victim as quickly as possible by applying cool water to the skin and/or ice packs under the armpits and groin area while waiting help.
NHTSA offers additional tips on keeping children safe at www.nhtsa.gov/KeepingKidsSafe