The weather is getting nicer and we’re starting to spend a lot more time outside. We want you to have fun, but it’s important to be safe too! Here are some important things to know about children in hot cars:

Almost 900 children have died of vehicular heatstroke since 1998.

Over half of these deaths have happened when the driver forgot that the child was in the back seat and in most of these cases, the parent forgot to drop the child of at daycare or preschool. This accident generally occurs with children under 1 year of age.

So, what about the other half of the almost 900 deaths? Some have occurred when a child has gained access to a vehicle without an adult knowing and is unable to get and themselves out; others have happened when the parent knowingly left the child in the car.

So, what do you need to know about preventing this from happening to your loved ones?

Heatstroke deaths can happen any time of year, not just summer. It is never OK to leave a child in a car unattended.

The temperature in a car can rise almost 20 degrees in 10 minutes, and it only continues to rise after that, and leaving the windows down does little to none to keep the vehicle cool.

Heatstroke can occur when temperature is as a low as 57 degrees.

A child is more susceptible to heatstroke — their body temperature rises three-five times faster than an adults.
What should you do if you see a child in a car?

If the child is not responsive or in distress (meaning they look to be asleep, are sweaty, their face is red) you should do what you can to get the child out of the car while calling 911. If you are successful in getting the child out, spray the child with cool water (not ice water).

If the child is responsive, stay with the child until help arrives. Try to find someone else to search for the driver or have them paged.

If you are unsure, call 911 and follow the operator’s advice.

This message is brought to you by SafeKids PA Lycoming County Partner and the Lycoming County Health Coalition.