rom 1996 through 2000, more than 120 children — most of them 3 and younger — died after being trapped in a car. When left in a hot vehicle, a young child's core body temperature can increase three to five times faster than that of an adult, causing permanent injury or death.

"Many parents mistakenly think they can leave a child in a vehicle while running a 'quick' errand. Unfortunately a delay of just a few minutes can lead to tragedy," says Carol Hasty, a nurse at Children's Medical Center of Dallas and coordinator of the Dallas- Area SAFE KIDS Coalition. Extreme heat affects infants and small children disproportionately. Heat rapidly overwhelms the body's ability to regulate temperature.

When the outside temperature is 93 degrees Fahrenheit, the inside of a car, even with windows down, can reach deadly temperatures of 125 degrees in just minutes due to the sun beating down on windows and the metal roof.

 

Never leave your child in an unattended car, even with the windows down.
Teach children not to play in or around cars.
Always lock car doors and trunks even at home.
Be wary of child-resistant locks. Teach older children how to disable the driver’s door locks if they unintentionally become entrapped in a motor vehicle.
Check to make sure all children leave the vehicle when you reach your destination. Don’t overlook sleeping infants.
Watch children closely around cars, particularly when loading and unloading.
Make sure you check the temperature of the carseat surface and safety belt buckles before restraining your children in the car.
Use a light covering to shade the seat of your parked car.

If a child is found in a hot car, check first to see if the child is alert. Otherwise, a call to 9-1-1 and prompt medical attention may be needed.

Any adult who observes a child left in a car without supervision should notify authorities.