Leaving Children in Vehicles Can Be Deadly

 

As the summer months commence and temperatures rise, kids across the country are at risk for being left unattended in vehicles and suffering from heatstroke.

Temperatures inside vehicles can rise quickly, so any amount of time spent in a vehicle unattended could cause damage to anyone. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, temperatures inside a car can rise more than 20 degrees in only 10 minutes. Temperatures can reach 110 degrees inside the car.

“Because the consequences can be deadly, DPS urges parents and caregivers to always make sure children are accounted for and not left behind in a car,” DPS Director Steven McCraw said. He added that leaving the windows partially rolled down will not be enough to counter the oppressing heat.

To help prevent vehicular heatstroke deaths and injuries, DPS offers the following tips:

  • Always check the back seats of your vehicle before walking away.
  • Establish reminders that help ensure you remove children from the vehicle. For example: leave your bag, lunch or cell phone in the back seat with the child’s car seat. 
  • Call 9-1-1 if you see a child alone in a car, and emergency personnel will instruct you what to do next.
  • If a child goes missing, open the doors and trunks to every vehicle in the area. Many heatstroke deaths occur when a child accesses a parked car unnoticed. 
  • Teach children not to play in vehicles and make sure to place the keys out of reach when not being used.

Pets are also susceptible to heatstroke if left alone in vehicles. For the safety of everyone, Look Before You Lock.

Subscribe to the LIVE! Daily

The LIVE! Daily is the "newspaper to your email" for San Angelo. Each content-packed edition has weather, the popular Top of the Email opinion and rumor mill column, news around the state of Texas, news around west Texas, the latest news stories from San Angelo LIVE!, events, and the most recent obituaries. The bottom of the email contains the most recent rants and comments. The LIVE! daily is emailed 5 days per week. On Sundays, subscribers receive the West Texas Real Estate LIVE! email.

Required

Most Recent Videos

Post a comment to this article here:

X Close