Extreme heat is the top weather-related cause of death in the United States. As we enter the peak of summer, we know it gets hot in the car, especially after the car has been sitting in a parking lot. Due to the greenhouse effect, where the sun’s UV rays enter and cannot escape, cars can heat up very quickly in a matter of minutes. On a 90-degree day, the interior of a car can reach over 100 degrees within 5-minutes, according to the National Weather Service. Even when the weather is around 70 degrees, the interior of a car can reach 115 degrees. Cracking the window does not help, as temperatures will reach the same level due to the absorption of short and long wave radiation from the sun in the interior (console, dashboard) of the car, which can raise those surface temperatures up to 200 degrees.
Double Check for Children and Animals
Leave nothing to chance. Don’t ever leave children or animals in a car—not even for a minute—if you are not there to monitor the air conditioning and ensure their safety. If you have children or animals, make it a habit to check the back of your vehicle every time you get out of your car. On average around 35 children a year die from being left unattended in hot cars. Although many of these are children under 2 whose parents thought they left them at daycare, it can happen to anyone—not just parents of younger children during the workweek or bad parents. Double check the back, especially if there are any changes in your routine or if you don’t feel well.
Damaged Items
Items left in a hot car can also damage the car or be damaged. The glue binding in books can easily melt, cans and batteries can explode from increased pressure from heat, and electronics might be ruined in a hot car. Other items that can explode or be damaged include aerosol cans, lighters, bottles, and containers.
Good Samaritan Law
In 26 states, the Good Samaritan Law will protect you from liability if you attempt to rescue a child in distress. However, you should try to contact law enforcement first if you see an animal or adult in danger or distress in a hot car, because fewer states protect rescues that fall under those categories.
Keep Cars Locked to Prevent Child Entry
Another thing to remember to keep your car safe is to prevent children (yours and others) from gaining access to your car or truck. Children love to explore, and if they find the keys or discover an unlocked vehicle, they might gain entry inside the car and be unable to get out. Keep the keys out of reach of children and always lock your vehicle to prevent kids from playing around in the car.
Backovers and Frontovers
Sadly, hot car deaths are not the only accidental deaths that occur in the US involving children and vehicles. Backovers and frontovers occur when a vehicle, usually in a driveway or parking lot, backs or moves forward over a child that is not visible to the driver. At 21’ a driver looking out of an average pickup truck can only see the head of a small child sitting on the ground. With bigger vehicles, the danger only increases. Don’t assume that the areas are clear if you have not walked around your vehicle to do a physical check, and don’t let kids play unsupervised in the driveway. If you have a small child in a parking lot, put them in a cart when walking to and from the store, or if it is an older child, hold their hand. More and more vehicles have backup cameras now, but not many have front cameras. Assume that vehicles in parking lots cannot see you or your children and be aware of which cars might back or pull out – listen for the motor or look for brake lights to indicate that a car might be about to move.
AVOID HOT CAR DEATHS…CHECK TWICE!
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