14-05-2025
3 children have died in hot cars so far this year. Tips to prevent these tragedies in Florida
Temperatures are rising in Florida this week and into early next week.
The heat wave could bring near record-high temperatures to several cities across the Sunshine State so now is a perfect time to remind everyone of the dangers of leaving children unattended in a car.
Already, three children have died in 2025, ranging in age from 4 months to 6 years.
"On average nearly 40 children die in hot cars every year in the United States. That's approximately one every nine days," Kids and Car Safety said.
"Since 1990, at least 1,127 children have died in hot cars in the United States and at least another 7,500 survived with varying degrees of injury," according to data compiled by Kids and Car Safety.
It doesn't take a heat wave for an unattended child or baby to die in a hot car.
The first death of the year was a 4-month old boy who was unknowingly left in a car in March.
Two more deaths occurred in May.
Reported deaths this year, according to data compiled by Kids and Car Safety:
March 18, 2025
Lakewood, New Jersey
4-month old boy, unknowingly left in vehicle
May 7, 2025
Silver Spring, Maryland
2-year-old girl, unknowingly left in vehicle
May 10, 2025
Paso Robles, California
6-year-old boy left in vehicle
In 2024, 40 children died in hot cars, including four in Florida. Ages ranged from one month to 8 years, according to Kids and Care Safety.
Florida deaths occurred:
Nov. 6, 2024
St. Petersburg
1-year-old boy was unknowingly left in a vehicle
Nov. 1, 2024
Sumter County
1-year-old was unknowingly left in a vehicle
June 7, 2024
Indialantic
3-year-old boy was left in a vehicle
May 20, 2024
Bradenton
6-year-old girl knowingly left in a vehicle
Leaving a child younger than 6 unsupervised in a motor vehicle for more than 15 minutes is a second-degree misdemeanor, according to Florida Statutes.
If the motor is running, the health of the child is in danger or appears to be in distress, the caregiver can be fined from $50 to $500.
Any person who violates the law and in so doing causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, orpermanent disfigurement to a child commits a felony of the third degree.
"The majority of parents and caregivers are misinformed and would like to believe that a hot car tragedy will never happen to them," Kids and Care Safety said on its website.
"It can happen to anyone.
"In over half of hot car deaths, the person responsible for the child unknowingly left them in the vehicle. In most situations, this happens to loving, caring, and protective parents. It has happened to a teacher, dentist, social worker, police officer, nurse, clergyman, soldier, and even a rocket scientist."
"On average nearly 40 children die in hot cars every year in the United States. That's approximately one every nine days," Kids and Car Safety said.
"Eighty-eight percent of children who have died in a hot car are age 3 and younger. Rear-facing child safety seats do not look any different to the driver if they are occupied or empty, which can cause a parent to lose awareness of them in the back seat.
"Approximately 43% of children who were unknowingly left were supposed to be dropped off at childcare."
"The inside of a vehicle heats up VERY quickly. Even with the windows cracked, the temperature inside a car canreach 125 degrees in minutes," Kids and Care Safety said.
80% of the increase in inside temperature happens in the first 10 minutes.
Cracking the windows does not help slow the heating process or decrease the maximum temperature.
Children have died from heatstroke in cars when outside temperatures were as low as 60 degrees.
Research has shown vehicles become dangerously hot quickly, even when the outside temperature is moderate. With an outside ambient air temperature of 72 degrees, the internal vehicle temperature can reach 117 within 60 minutes, with 80% of the temperature increase occurring in the first 30 minutes, the National Safety Council said.
Interior vehicle temperatures can be 50 degrees higher than outside temperatures. Even on a cool day when the outside temperature is 61, within an hour, the inside temperature of a car reached more than 105, according to Consumer Reports.
On a 72-degree day, a car's interior can be deadly in less than 30 minutes, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The danger from high temperatures is particularly acute for young children because their bodies heat up three to five times faster than adult bodies, the American Academy of Pediatrics said.
Heatstroke in children can happen when their core temperature reaches about 104 degrees. A child can die if their internal body temperature reaches 107 degrees, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, signs of heatstroke that require immediate medical attention include:
shock
collapse
a temperature over 104 degrees
fainting
seizures
not being able to walk
"Before severe heatstroke, children in hot cars suffer from heat illness symptoms, including weakness, dizziness, nausea, feeling faint, headache and an increased body temperature."
Kids and Car Safety provided these suggestions to prevent children from being forgotten in hot cars:
Place the child's diaper bag or item in the front passenger seat as a visual cue that the child is with you.
Make it a habit of opening the back door every time you park to ensure no one is left behind. To enforce thishabit, place an item that you can't start your day without in the back seat (employee badge, laptop, phone,handbag, etc.)
Ask your childcare provider to call you right away if your child hasn't arrived as scheduled.
Clearly announce and confirm who is getting each child out of the vehicle. Miscommunication can lead tothinking someone else removed the child.
Keep vehicles locked at all times, especially in the garage or driveway. Ask neighbors and visitors to do the same.
Never leave car keys within reach of children.
Use childproofing knob covers and door alarms to prevent children from exiting your home unnoticed.
Teach children to honk the horn or turn on hazard lights if they become stuck inside a car.
If a child is missing, immediately check the inside, floorboards and trunk of all vehicles in the area carefully, even if they're locked.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Child hot-car deaths US, Florida. Prevention, tips
