Child Passenger Safety
Hot Weather and Hot Cars Deadly Combination for Children
At least 328 U.S. children dead from hyperthermia since 1998
- See data on heat-related deaths*
- Download the Never Leave Your Child Alone brochure as a PDF in English or Spanish
- Download free Acrobat Reader for PDFs on Adobe.com
DETROIT (June 11, 2007) – More than 325 children in the U.S. have died from heat stroke after being left alone or trapped in a closed vehicle in the last nine years.
“Every one of these tragedies is avoidable,” says NASCAR driver Jeff Burton, a father of two young children, who spoke at a news conference sponsored by Safe Kids Worldwide and General Motors. “There’s nothing that you have to do that you don’t have time to take your child out of the car. It only takes a minute to do. Take the time to do it.”
Most of the 328 children who have died – including eight so far in 2007 – were under 3 years of age, according to statistics compiled by Jan Null, Adjunct Professor of Meteorology at San Francisco State University.
A child’s physiology and hot temperatures can be a deadly combination in just minutes.
“The inside of a vehicle can rise 19 degrees above the outside temperature in just 10 minutes,” said Wes Bender, Safe Kids Buckle Up regional manager for Safe Kids Worldwide, GM’s partner in child passenger safety programs. “After an hour, the temperature inside and outside temperature can differ by 45 degrees or more – even if the window is left open a crack.”
Play video: Help save kids from overheating
NASCAR driver Jeff Burton talks about why it is
extremely dangerous for small kids to be left alone
in a vehicle. A child's core body temperature
increase 4-5 times faster than adults. Safe Kids
World Wide and General Motors have been
working together for the last seven years to
promote awareness of this issue.
“Children are more susceptible to heat stroke than adults because their bodies warm at a rate three to five times faster than adult bodies do,” said Null. “Heat stroke occurs when the core body temperature reaches 104 degrees Fahrenheit. A core body temperature of 107 degrees Fahrenheit is considered lethal.”
Safe Kids Worldwide and General Motors created the Never Leave Your Child Alone program to educate families on the dangers kids face in hot vehicles, said Beth Lowery, GM vice president of Environment, Energy & Safety Policy.
“A child is our most precious cargo and drivers must know that these deaths and injuries are entirely preventable,” she said. “Our heart goes out to every family that has lost a child or children in this way. No one ever thinks it would happen to them, and that is why this message cannot be repeated too often.
Safe Kids suggests these tips for parents and caregivers:
- Teach children not to play in, on or around vehicles.
- Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, even with the window slightly open.
- Always lock a vehicle’s doors and trunk – especially at home. Keep keys and remote entry devices out of children’s reach.
- Place something that you’ll need at your next stop – such as a purse, lunch, gym bag or briefcase – on the floor of the backseat where the child is sitting. This simple act could help prevent you from accidentally forgetting a child.
*Non-GM web site. Before supplying personal information, please check that site's privacy policy.
