NHTSA urging families to take steps to prevent hot car deaths

As temperatures get warmer, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is warning families about the dangers of hot car deaths.

According to NHTSA, in 2020, 24 children lost their lives in hot cars and in 2021 four children have died. Nearly 75% of children who are forgotten and die are under 2 years old. Over half of deaths happen because someone forgets a child in a car.

The temperature inside a car can reach over 115 degrees when the outside temperature is just 70 degrees. Heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches 104 degrees.

NHTSA advises making it a habit to check the entire vehicle—front and back—before locking the door and walking away. Parents should train themselves to “Park, Look, Lock,” or always ask themselves, “Where’s Baby?”

The administration also recommends placing a personal item like a purse or briefcase in the back seat, as another reminder to look before locking or writing a note or placing a stuffed animal in the passenger’s seat as a reminder that a child is in the back seat.