Hot Cars

The Danger

The majority of parents and caregivers are misinformed and would like to believe that a hot car tragedy will never happen to them. In over half of hot car deaths, the person responsible for the child unknowingly left them in the vehicle. In most situations, this happens to loving, caring, and protective parents. It has happened to a teacher, dentist, social worker, police officer, nurse, clergyman, soldier, and even a rocket scientist. It can happen to anyone.

Why It Happens

There are three primary scenarios that lead to child hot car deaths:

• Forgotten (approximately 54%): A child is unknowingly left in a vehicle, often due to a change in routine, fatigue, or distraction. This can happen to even the most loving and responsible parents.
• Gain Access (approximately 26%): A child gains access to an unlocked vehicle and becomes trapped inside.
• Knowingly Left (approximately 20%): A child is knowingly left in a vehicle, often because the caregiver doesn't understand the danger.

How Fast Can It Happen?

A child's body temperature rises 3-5 times faster than an adult's. When a child's internal temperature reaches 104 degrees, major organs begin to shut down. At 107 degrees, the child can die.

Even with outside temperatures as low as 60 degrees, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach 110 degrees. In just 10 minutes, the inside temperature of a vehicle can rise by 20 degrees. Cracking the windows does not help.

Prevention Tips

The Science: Memory Failure

Hot car deaths often involve a failure of prospective memory – the process by which we remember to do something in the future. When parents or caregivers are fatigued, stressed, or experience a change in routine, this failure can occur even in the most loving families.

The basal ganglia, which controls habit-based memory, can override the hippocampus, which controls conscious memory. This is why a parent on "autopilot" might drive straight to work instead of stopping at daycare, completely forgetting the child is in the back seat.

Technology Solutions

Kids and Car Safety has been advocating for technology in vehicles to detect the presence of children left behind. The Hot Cars Act, when passed, will require automakers to install detection systems in all new vehicles.

Some current technologies include:

• Rear seat reminder systems
• Ultrasonic sensors to detect motion
• Pressure sensors in car seats
• Door sequencing alerts

What to Do If You See a Child Alone in a Vehicle

1. Call 911 immediately – Every minute counts
2. Check if the doors are unlocked
3. If the child appears in distress, get them out as quickly as possible
4. Cool the child with water or wet cloths
5. Wait for emergency services