Hot summer days have contributed to 53 child deaths last year in the United States as a result of heatstroke, which can happen when kids are unattended in cars. The four Safe Kids coalitions found in North Dakota (Bismarck-Mandan, Fargo-Moorhead, Grand Forks and Minot) remind caregivers to never leave children alone in a vehicle, and if you see a child alone in a car, call 911.
Heatstroke, also known as hyperthermia, is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children. It occurs when the body can’t cool itself quickly enough and the body temperature rises to dangerous levels. Young children are particularly at risk as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s. Since 1998, more than 845 children across the United States have died from heatstroke when alone in a vehicle. With last year’s death total being at 53, that is an average of one child per week dying of this preventable cause.
A car can heat up 19 degrees in 10 minutes and cracking a window doesn’t help. Temperatures inside the vehicle can eventually become 40-50 hotter than outside so even on mild days, the inside of the car can be very hot. Heatstroke can happen anytime, anywhere. We don’t want to see this happen to any family. That’s why we are asking everyone to help protect kids from this very preventable tragedy by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even for a minute.
During this time of social distancing amid the Covid-19 pandemic, many retailers are asking only 1 person per family to go into a store or restricting children under a certain age from entering at all. This could lead to an increase in kids being left in cars for a “quick trip.” Instead, Safe Kids urges families to utilize curbside pick-up and delivery options or plan shopping trips for when another caregiver is available to help with the children. We don’t want a quick trip to turn into a deadly one.
Together, we can cut down the number of deaths and near misses by remembering to ACT.
- A: Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not inside so kids don’t get in on their own.
- C: Create Keep a stuffed animal or other memento in your child’s car seat when it’s empty and move it to the front seat as a visual reminder when your child is in the back seat. Or place and secure your phone, briefcase, or purse in the back seat when traveling with your child. 2 Heatstroke 2020
- T: Take If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life.
While 54% of heatstroke deaths occur when a child is forgotten in the vehicle by a parent or caregiver (usually when there is a change of routine or miscommunication), sometimes children access a vehicle on their own. Therefore, it is important that all vehicle drivers lock their car and put their keys up and out of reach of children. Children are curious by nature and we don’t want their tendency to explore to end in tragedy.
For more information on preventing child heatstroke deaths, please visit www.safekids.org/heatstroke or contact one of the local coalitions in our area: Safe Kids Grand Forks: Carma Hanson – 701.739.1591 or chanson@altru.org
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