Hot Cars can Create Dangerous Situations for Kids

It’s so tempting. You pull up to the front door of the convenience mart. Your little one is sleeping in the car seat. It will only take a minute or two. “I’ll just crack the back windows,” you say to yourself. Wrong.

Even while running a quick errand, temperatures in a vehicle can rise to dangerous levels within just a few minutes on even a mild day.

“Adults don’t understand the danger of leaving children in their cars unattended,” says Denise Dowd, MD, co-director of the Center for Childhood Safety at Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics. “A child’s body temperature can increase three to five times faster than an adult. The body can go into shock and circulation to vital organs will begin to fail since heat disrupts the body’s ability to regulate its temperature. This could result in permanent injury or death.”

Tips for a safe summer:

• NEVER leave your child alone in the car, even with the windows down.
• Don’t overlook sleeping infants or toddlers.
• Make sure all children exit the car when you reach your destination.
• Frequently check the temperature of the child safety seat surface and the safety restraints.
• Lock your car at home so the child can’t play inside and become trapped.
• Teach children not to play in or around vehicles.
• Use windshield shades in the front and back windows to keep the car cooler.
• Install an inside trunk release.