Park, Look, Lock – Avoiding Hot Car Deaths
According to the US Department of Transportation, over 940 children have died of heatstroke over the last 25 years after being trapped in a hot car. More than half of these hot car deaths were because the caregiver accidentally left the child in the car. As a result, there have been education campaigns and even vehicle changes to help drivers check the backseat before exiting the vehicle. Another 25% of the fatalities were due to children gaining access to an open car themselves. Everyone can help by locking all vehicles to keep children from seeking out playtime inside.
Park, Look, Lock
Park, Look, Lock is a catchphrase to remind everyone to check the backseat before exiting the vehicle. Over half the hot car deaths occur because a caregiver forgets the child. So establishing the habit of always checking the backseat is critical. Even those who do not regularly drive children should train themselves to check behind them. That way they are ready in case they transport a grandchild or neighbor. Keeping a purse or laptop bag in the backseat is another way to be sure you always access that part of the car before walking away. In addition, many vehicles now have an alert when the vehicle is turned off. This message reminds the driver to check the backseat before exiting. Find more tips here.
Hot Car Death Trap
It only takes ten minutes for a car to heat 20 degrees and become a death trap for people or animals. Important facts from the Department of Transportation:
- A child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s. When a child is left in a vehicle, that child’s temperature can rise quickly — and the situation can quickly become dangerous.
- Heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches about 104 degrees.
- A child can die when their body temperature reaches 107 degrees
- There is no safe time to leave a child in the car. Even in cooler temps the car temperature can rise quickly. And in the heat, it is a matter of minutes before it becomes dangerous.
- Leaving the window open is not a solution – children should never be left in a hot car.
Animals are also susceptible to death in a hot car. An HPD K-9 police dog, Aron, recently died from heat exhaustion after the vehicle he was left in turned off unexpectedly. The police vehicles have backup safety systems in place to prevent hot car deaths but sadly the system malfunctioned.
What to Do
Always act if you see a child or animal in a hot car. Do not assume the parent will be right back and do not assume someone else will help. The child or pet’s life may be at stake. Texas has a “Good Samaritan” law that protects you from any damage caused in a good faith attempt to help in an emergency.
Immediately call 911 and report the hot car situation. If someone else is with you or you can get help from someone else, have them go inside and try to locate the parent. Be sure they have details about the type of car so the store/building can make an announcement. If the child is clearly in distress or unresponsive, do what is needed to get them out of the car. This may include breaking a window. Texas Health and Human Services provides steps to assist once the child is removed from the car.
With the extra efforts being made by vehicle manufacturers and education campaigns, hopefully hot car deaths will decline.
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