As outside temperatures rise, the dangers for children being seriously injured or even dying from being left alone inside a hot car also rise. That's why Community Alliance for Teen Safety has joined with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in an effort to reduce these deaths by reminding parents and caregivers about the dangers of heatstroke in young children.
 

1) Never leave a child in a vehicle unattended;
2) Make it a habit to look in the backseat every time you exit the car;
3) Always lock the car and put the keys out of reach. And, if you ever see a child left alone in a hot vehicle, call 911 right away.
 

Recent statewide incidents of children being left in parked cars while parents went shopping highlight the need for increased awareness of this danger.  According to NHTSA, heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash vehicle fatalities for children 14 and under. In fact, one child dies from heatstroke nearly every 10 days from being left in a hot vehicle. Children's body temperatures can rise up to five times faster than that of an adult, and heatstroke can occur in temperatures as low as 57 degrees. On an 80 degree day, a car can reach deadly levels in just 10 minutes.

Warning signs of heatstroke include: red, hot, and moist or dry skin, no sweating, a strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse, nausea, confusion or acting strangely. If a child exhibits any of these signs after being in a hot vehicle, cool the child rapidly (not an ice bath but by spraying them with cool water or with a garden hose). Call 911 or you
local emergency number immediately. 
  

What can you do?

• Never leave an infant or child unattended in a vehicle, even if the windows are partly open, or the engine is running and the air conditioning is on;
• Don't let children play in an unattended vehicle. Teach them a vehicle is not a play area;
• Make a habit of looking in the vehicle -front and back - before locking the door and walking away; 
• Write yourself a note and place it where you'll see it when you leave the vehicle.
• Place your purse, briefcase, or something else you're sure to need in the back seat so you'll be sure to see a child left in the vehicle.
• Keep an object in the car seat, such as a stuffed toy. Once the child is buckled in, place the object where the driver will notice it when he or she leaves the vehicle;
• Ask your childcare center to call you if your child doesn't arrive on time for childcare.
• Plan ahead for shopping.  Take your children into the store or leave them at home with a babysitter.
• If you see a child alone in a hot vehicle, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. If they are in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible. Cool the child rapidly (not an ice bath but by spraying them with cool water or with a garden hose).

Heatstroke prevention was the topic of Community Alliance for Teen Safety's July Safe Communities postcard. Contact the CATS office to join the mailing list or if you would like to receive a supply for distribution.