Where’s Baby? Look Before You Lock

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has partnered with the Kentucky Department of Transportation and other health officials to warn people about the dangers of leaving children in a hot car.

The Kentucky DOT is working with Safekids Worldwide, a global organization that urges parents and caregivers to “look before you lock.”

At least 18 children in Kentucky have died from vehicle-related heatstroke since 1998. Most of the fatalities were among children aged three and younger. Not only that, heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash deaths for children under 14.

It takes only 10 minutes for a car in 80-degree weather to heat up to life-threatening levels, even if the windows are cracked. Young children’s bodies have immature temperature control systems, which make the levels particularly dangerous, the press release said.

Although the majority of vehicle-related heatstroke fatalities are not malicious in nature, there are cases where a parent or caregiver’s negligence caused serious and tragic injuries to children. Examples include brain injuries, blindness and hearing loss.

The Kentucky DOT, NHTSA and Safekids advocate taking the following steps to avoid devastating accidents caused by leaving a child in a hot car:

• Always supervise a child who is inside a vehicle, regardless of whether the windows are open and the air conditioner is running.
• Never lock a car before double-checking to see that no one is in the front or back seats.
• Ask a caregiver to always call and check if a child does not arrive at day care as expected.
• Create some sort of physical reminder that forces you to look in the back seat before leaving your car, such as placing a purse, wallet or briefcase in the back.
• Remind children that vehicles are not a playground, and keep keys out of their reach.

Don’t be afraid to call 911 if you spot a child in a car or truck unattended. Prevention is the key to stopping a rising incidence of heat-related deaths nationwide.