Officials deliver safety message about leaving children in a hot vehicle

California Office of Traffic Safety and Caltrans urge caregivers and parents to prevent risk of leaving children in hot cars

July marked California’s hottest month on record, bringing significant heat risks to sensitive population groups like children and older adults. The average temperature reached 81.7 degrees, nearly two degrees higher than the previous record set in July 2021, according to Thursday’s data from the National Centers for Environmental Information. August is experiencing similarly high temperatures.

With August temperatures predicted to continue to trend hotter than normal, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and Caltrans are calling attention to the deadly risks of leaving children and pets unattended in hot vehicles and aim to bolster preventative measures within our communities.

Heatstroke remains a leading cause of non-crash-related auto deaths for children 14 and younger, with the interior of a car capable of reaching lethal temperatures rapidly, even on days as low as 60 degrees. The OTS and Caltrans encourage parents and caregivers to remind their children that cars are not playgrounds. The act of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle for any length of time can lead to tragedy and irreversible consequences.

Young children don’t sweat as effectively as adults, which is crucial for regulating body temperature. Their body temperatures increase much more quickly than adults. Keep an eye out for heat rash or sunburn as early indicators of heat illness and seek immediate help if other symptoms develop. Signs of heatstroke include a body temperature above 103 degrees, a rapid pulse, nausea, confusion, dizziness, headache, hot, red, dry, or damp skin, along with unusual or irritable behavior.

The OTS and Caltrans urge parents and caregivers to avoid vehicular heatstroke by adopting simple habits such as:

• Never leaving a child alone in a vehicle, even for a minute or two. This includes pets, who are also at more risk for heatstroke.
• Incorporating a “Look Before You Lock” routine upon exiting a car.
• Securing your vehicle and making sure children do not have access to keys or remote entry devices.
• Utilizing visual cues with items you don’t tend to forget, such as placing a briefcase or cell phone in the backseat, to remind you to check for the child.
• Employing a ‘stuffed animal system’—moving a toy to the front seat as a reminder when a child is in the car seat.
• Looking out for others. If you spot a child or pet alone in a vehicle, assess their health and call 911 if they appear in distress. Attempt to locate the guardians or pet owner and request establishments to utilize their public announcement systems.
• Let’s pledge to keep our children and pets safe. Remember, the tragedy of vehicular heatstroke is entirely avoidable. Take action, spread the word, and always “Look Before You Lock.”For more tips and information on preventing heatstroke, please visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/heatstroke. For materials and information, visit https://gosafelyca.org/media-toolkits/.Photo by Ketut Subiyanto courtesy of Pexels