Latest news with #JustinBaker
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Deadly Summer Heat: How Quickly Temperatures Rise Inside Vehicles
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — As the Texas summer begins to scorch, health and safety officials are warning parents and caregivers about the life-threatening risk of leaving children inside hot vehicles — even for just a few minutes. In 2024, 39 children across the United States died from heatstroke after being left in hot cars. Three of those deaths occurred in Texas, data from the Texas Department of State Health Services shows. 'When it comes to children being left in vehicles, it's against the law to leave children younger than 7 years of age unattended in a vehicle unless they are accompanied by someone 14 years of age or older,' said Justin Baker with the Texas Department of Public Safety. 'Now the law on that is a Class C misdemeanor, and so again it can be punishable with a hefty fine — but more importantly, it's about saving that life.' Most hot car deaths are unintentional, often the result of a change in routine or a moment of forgetfulness, according to experts. 'It's important to make sure you give yourself reminders — check your vehicle before you get out, especially if you've changed your routine,' Baker said. 'That's when you really have to set those reminders.' A demonstration in San Angelo showed just how quickly temperatures can become deadly. With the outside temperature at 91 degrees, a parked vehicle was left for just 10 minutes with the windows slightly cracked. When checked again, the interior had already reached 100 degrees. Children are especially vulnerable in this kind of heat. Their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult's. Once a child's internal temperature hits 104°F, major organs begin shutting down. At 107°F, heatstroke can quickly become fatal. And while some incidents are caused by forgetfulness, others stem from the belief that a short errand will only take a minute. Officials say you should act immediately if you encounter a child or pet alone in a parked car and they appear to be in distress. 'So if you find yourself in that situation where you see a child or a pet unattended in a vehicle and it's obviously again very hot, it looks like they have been there awhile — one, call 9-1-1 immediately, we want to get some first responders en route,' Baker said. 'But two, you can take action in the Good Samaritan Law where you can break out a window if it comes down to saving the life of a human or a pet.' To help prevent hot car deaths, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) encourages the public to remember the acronym A-C-T: As the heat continues to rise across Texas in 2025, officials urge drivers to stay alert, build new habits, and never leave a child or pet unattended in a vehicle, not even for a minute. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Yahoo
TxDPS investigates nighttime overpass crash
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — The Texas Department of Public Safety has launched an investigation into a collision that occurred overnight after a semi-trailer truck crashed into an overpass in San Angelo. In a Nixle alert issued at approximately 2:30 a.m. on March 25, the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office advised motorists to avoid a section of United States Highway 87 and part of North Chadbourne Street that had been closed due to a traffic accident. In a subsequent alert published at about 5:30 a.m., the sheriff's office said that certain lanes of the highway had been reopened but that a highway ramp in the affected area was still closed. Concho Valley food trailer 'exploded' in storage A Concho Valley Homepage reporter at the scene observed that Texas Department of Transportation crews were working to clear the area of debris as of the time of publication and saw what appeared to be a semi-tractor trailer damaged as a result of the crash. The reporter did not observe any visible structural damage to the overpass and said that traffic was being permitted to cross over it. TxDPS Sgt. Justin Baker stated that Troopers were conducting an investigation into the collision and that more details may be provided as information becomes available. Baker confirmed with Concho Valley Homepage staff that the incident 'is not a fatality crash.' This is a developing story. Stick with for updates as more information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
