There are many dangers on and off the road that surround today’s children. While the more common ones like child-proofing harmful substances or not talking to strangers are routinely addressed, sometimes it’s the ones we don’t think about that can bring about a worst case scenario.
Each year, approximately 37 children die from hyperthermia while left in hot vehicles. A child’s body can warm three to five times faster than an adult’s.
General Motors and Safe Kids USA have teamed up to create a video, giving tips to prevent these deaths, often caused by distracted parents and caregivers.
Within 10 minutes of being closed, in the daytime, the inside temperature of a vehicle will be almost 20 degrees hotter than the outside temperature, after 30 minutes it will be 34 degrees hotter. The video shows an example of how a vehicle can reach temperatures of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit on a cloudy, 82-degree day.
Here are a few tips from the video. May we all help to spread the word, as education and awareness is the best prevention.
• Place an object that you need, such as a cell phone or briefcase, near the child’s seat.
• Keep the vehicle doors locked while parked in the driveway; children playing in vehicles can suffer hyperthermia as a result of becoming trapped.
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