Hot Cars and Kids: a Lethal Combination
Summer’s here and temperatures are climbing. This time of year, in particular, it is deadly to leave an unattended child in the car.
A child’s internal cooling system, which leads to sweating, isn’t as effective as an adult’s. In fact, a child’s body heats up three to five times faster than an adult’s would in the same circumstance.
When cooling doesn’t take place quickly enough, a child’s body temperature can rapidly rise to a dangerous level. If it reaches 104°F, major organs may begin to shut down. When it reaches 107°F, death from heatstroke is imminent.
Since 1998, 29 to 49 children have died each year after they were left in a hot car.
- Roughly 20 percent were left in a car by a parent who intended to run a quick errand and returned to find their child dead.
- Close to 30 percent entered a car without their parents’ realizing it and couldn’t get out.
- 52 percent were left in the car accidentally. More than half of them were under 2 years old.
The July edition of Costco Connection magazine features a chart of Estimated Vehicle Interior Air Temperature vs Elapsed Time. http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/201507#pg94 . After 1 hour, on a 95 degree day the inside temperature of a car reaches 140 degrees.
Here are some tips to avoid a tragedy:
- Never leave kids or animals alone in a car – not even or a minute.
- Always check the front and back seats before leaving the vehicle.
- Always lock your car and make sure kids do not have access to the keys or a remote entry devices.
- Check your car and the trunk as soon as you notice kids or pets are missing.
- Immediately call 911 if you see a child or pet left unattended in a car.
If you have been involved in an Arizona motor vehicle accident, we’re here to help. Khalidi Law Firm, PLLC has more than two decades’ experience litigating vehicle accidents, including cars, motorcycles, trucks and even bicycles from our offices in Tucson’s Barrio Historica.
