Latest news with #NoHeatstroke.org
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
3 children have died in hot cars in the US in 2025. How to prevent it amid Texas heat wave
No one wants to be called a bad parent or be accused of being a malicious person. Over the past 25 years, more than 970 children have died from heatstroke because they were left or trapped in a hot car for too long, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. So far in 2025, there have been three hot car deaths with one in California, Maryland and New Jersey, according to data from the National Safety Council. While there have been no reported child hot car deaths in Texas yet, it's always a concern with rising temperatures. Here is what people can do to prevent this tragedy. Jan Null, CCM, from the Department of Meteorology and Climate Science at San Jose State University, has compiled data on child heatstroke deaths in hot vehicles. This information is presented through a program backed by the National Safety Council. The data is sourced from continuous online searches of electronic media, using platforms such as Google News and Lexis-Nexus. The interactive chart allows people to explore vehicle-related heatstroke deaths among children by year, month, outside ambient temperature and state. Some may wonder how people can forget a child in a car. According to the National Library of Medicine, Forgotten Baby Syndrome is real. Based on limited research, NIH found that the adults who were unaware or had forgotten a child had perfectly intact psychic and cognitive functions. Here's what you can do to avoid these situations: Never leave a child in a vehicle unattended for any length of time. Rolling windows down or parking in the shade does little to change the interior temperature of the vehicle. Make it a habit to check your entire vehicle — especially the back seat — before locking the doors and walking away. Ask your childcare provider to call if your child doesn't show up for care as expected. Place a personal item like a purse or a bag in the back seat, as another reminder to look before you lock. Write a note or place a stuffed animal in the passenger's seat to remind you that a child is in the back seat. Store car keys out of a child's reach and teach children that a vehicle is not a play area. Place a reminder on your phone with an alarm that you have a child who needs to be taken out of the car. NHTSA suggests that if you see a child locked in a car, act immediately and call 911. A child in distress due to heat should be removed from the vehicle as quickly as possible and rapidly cooled. According to data from Kids and Car Safety, since 1990, Texas has led the nation in child heatstrokes, with 156 deaths in total. Almost 90% of children who die are 3 or younger, according to their data. In 2018 and 2019, we saw a record number of hot car deaths — 53 children died each year in the U.S., the most in at least 25 years, according to In 2023, 29 children died of heatstroke in vehicles in the U.S. A child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's. When a child is left in a vehicle, that child's temperature can rise quickly, and the situation can quickly become dangerous. Heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches about 104 degrees. A child can die when their body temperature reaches 107 degrees. Here are the symptoms to watch for: Cramping Fatigue Diarrhea Dizziness Headache Irritability Coordination problems Nausea Vomiting Fainting Weakness Heatstroke and heat exhaustion are both heat-related illnesses that occur due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures, especially when combined with high humidity and physical exertion. However, they differ significantly in severity and symptoms. Heat exhaustion is a condition resulting from excessive loss of water and salt through sweating, leading to an imbalance in the body's electrolytes. Heatstroke is a severe, life-threatening condition that occurs when the body's temperature regulation system fails, causing body temperature to rise to dangerous levels (104°F or higher). Heavy sweating Weakness or fatigue Dizziness or lightheadedness Nausea or vomiting Headache Muscle cramps Cool, moist skin with goosebumps when in the heat Rapid, weak pulse Low blood pressure upon standing High body temperature (104°F or higher) Hot, dry skin (absence of sweating) or heavy sweating Altered mental state or behavior (confusion, agitation, slurred speech) Seizures Loss of consciousness Rapid, strong pulse Nausea and vomiting Flushed skin Today, several devices can remind drivers that a child is in the rear of the car so they won't forget. Here are some of the listed technologies: Driver's Little Helper Sensor System: The Driver's Little Helper Sensor System, available at several major retailers, is designed to be placed in a car seat. Positioned under the seat padding where the child sits, the sensor connects to a battery pack and syncs with an app. Users can configure the app to send notifications after stopping the car, with intervals as short as one minute. Waze: Waze, a popular traffic app, features a setting that reminds drivers to check their back seat upon reaching a destination entered into the app. However, it does not provide alerts for impromptu stops. SensorSafe: SensorSafe, a technology featured in some Evenflo car seats, includes a receiver that plugs into your car's diagnostics port. This port inside the vehicle connects to various subsystems and allows small receivers to access the car's computer system. The receiver communicates with the car seat's smart chest clip, alerting the driver with a series of chimes if a child remains in the seat after the car is turned off. Toyota Cabin Awareness: Toyota's Cabin Awareness is an advanced in-cabin monitoring system designed to prevent hot car fatalities, particularly for children and pets. This technology uses high-resolution 4D imaging radar to detect minute movements, such as heartbeats and respiration, covering the entire vehicle cabin, including the cargo area and footwells. The radar can even sense occupants under blankets or other coverings. General Motor's Rear Seat Reminder System: This feature in certain GM vehicles uses sensors on the back doors that activate when the rear door is opened or closed within 10 minutes of the vehicle starting or while it is running. If these conditions are met, a reminder appears on the dashboard, accompanied by an audible chime, when you reach your destination. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: 3 kids have died in hot cars in 2025. How to prevent during Texas heat
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Deaths of at least 2 children in US believed to be hot-car related in 2025. Summer hasn't even started yet
WASHINGTON – As temperatures rise and summer approaches, advocacy groups are sounding the alarm about an annual and deadly danger: children left alone in hot cars. Already in 2025, authorities in at least two jurisdictions are investigating whether extreme temperatures played a role in the deaths of children who were left alone for hours in vehicles. According to data from 39 children died from heat-related issues in 2024 - an increase of 35% from the previous year. While the number is lower than the record-setting years of 2018 and 2019, which saw 53 deaths each, the trend remains concerning. According to the advocacy group Kids and Car Safety, a child's body heats up three to five times faster than an adult's, making young children particularly vulnerable to heatstroke. Even on days that don't feel especially hot, temperatures inside a closed vehicle can soar to deadly levels in a matter of minutes. For example, on a day when the outside temperature is just 70 degrees, the interior of a vehicle can reach 100 degrees in about 20 minutes. According to experts, a vehicle's interior can heat up by around 40 degrees in an hour if there is no air circulation. Minutes Matter: What You Should Do If You See A Child Locked In A Hot Car Heat illnesses happen when the body generates more heat than it can release. A core body temperature of 104 degrees or higher, combined with the absence of sweating, are telltale signs of heatstroke, according to Children's Health. Since 1990, heat-related incidents involving vehicles have claimed the lives of more than 1,125 children, prompting renewed calls for action to stop what advocates say are entirely preventable tragedies. In a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation, families from across the country urged federal authorities to mandate the use of occupant detection technology in all new vehicles. "After more than two decades of public education, children are still dying at alarming and record-breaking rates," said Janette Fennell, founder and president of Kids and Car Safety. "We know what works. Technology can—and must—be an essential part of the solution." Significant Heat Wave Expected Across Texas Could Break All-time May Records Occupant detection systems utilize a range of technologies, including motion sensors, lidar and carbon dioxide monitoring, to detect the presence of a human or pet in the vehicle after it has been turned off. If a living being is detected, the system alerts the driver or notifies emergency services through a series of safety features. Advocates emphasize that many modern vehicles already come equipped with alert systems for tire pressure, oil changes, seat belts and other monitoring functions, so including technology to detect a child or pet is likely not an excessively complex addition. How To Watch Fox Weather According to most hot car deaths occur when a caregiver forgets a child inside, with only a small number of cases involving intentional acts. If you encounter a child or adult suffering from a heat-related illness, you are urged to call 911 immediately. While waiting for emergency services, move the person into a shaded area or indoors to help stabilize their article source: Deaths of at least 2 children in US believed to be hot-car related in 2025. Summer hasn't even started yet
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Even 77 degrees can turn deadly for children in cars, Georgia officials warn
The Brief Georgia officials launched the 12th annual "Look Again" campaign after two children died in hot cars last July; so far in 2025, eight incidents have occurred at child care facilities with no fatalities. Experts warn that a child's body temperature rises 3 to 5 times faster than an adult's, and even mild outdoor temperatures can cause parked vehicles to become dangerously hot within minutes. Authorities urge caregivers to check the back seat before locking their cars and to call 911 if they see a child in a parked vehicle; Georgia law allows entry if a child is in distress. COBB COUNTY, Ga. - As we get closer to Georgia's summer, temperatures have started to climb, and that can be a dangerous time in parked vehicles—especially if you're transporting kids. Last year, numbers show two children died in Georgia after being left in a hot car. What we know It's a mistake parents and caregivers have made time and time again across the country. In 2024, the National Safety Council says 39 kids lost their lives after being left in a vehicle. Thursday morning, the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, also known as DECAL, kicked off its 12th annual 'Look Again' campaign. It comes after two Georgia kids died from heatstroke last July after being left in hot vehicles; one of them was in Cobb County. "I want to do all that I can to get the word out—to just do a simple thing—and that's stop, look in the back seat, and make sure you're locking the door because little people can crawl in there, and it can become a trap," said Allen Poole, from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. RELATED: Critical warning for parents after Cobb County 2-year-old boy dies in hot car According to Georgia ranks 5th for the number of child deaths from vehicle heatstroke. Thursday, officials demonstrated how quickly vehicles can heat up, even with the temperature around 77 degrees. A graphic from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta shows it can take just minutes for a parked vehicle to get dangerously hot for pets and kids. "The child's body temperature increases 3 to 5 times faster than in adults, and that is a deadly combination," said Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning Commissioner Amy Jacobs. DECAL says so far this year, Georgia child care facilities have left kids in vehicles eight times—luckily, no one died. Officials say if you see a child in a parked vehicle, call 911, and if a child is in distress, the law allows you to enter that vehicle. What they're saying "We never think that's going to happen to us, and so that's why we continue to remind folks that it can happen so quickly—and you can completely avoid it," Jacobs said. Officials say parked vehicles can be dangerous year-round. "Our ultimate goal is to save every child and not have one child fall to heatstroke in the state of Georgia," Poole said. Officials say one way to prevent forgetting is by putting something like a phone or a purse in the back so you have another reason to turn around.
