Every year nationally, an average of almost 40 children die from being trapped inside hot vehicles — and that danger will increase over the next several days, with temperatures in the upper 90s.
And the biggest mistake a conscientious parent could make is believing they would never leave their child in a car, said Janette Fennell, president and founder of KidsAndCars.org.
“If you’re human, this can happen,” said Fennell.
The temperature inside a car can reach 110 degrees even at an outside temperature of 60 degrees.
“The first 10 minutes, the temperature can raise as much as 20 degrees, so in this weather that can be fatal,” she said.
Her group offers the catchphrase “look before you lock”: “When you arrive at your destination, just open the back door and make sure no one’s back there, or nothing’s back there.”
Parents should keep their cars locked even in driveways and garages, Fennell said, because children can sneak in without the parent’s knowledge.
If parents need a reminder to look in the rear seat, “Put your cell phone back there, or your handbag, or employee badge, or something you’ll need at your destination.”
Another way to ensure that parents look in the rear seat before leaving their car is to keep a large stuffed animal in the child’s car seat. “As soon as you put your child in there, toss that stuffed animal up front,” she said. That way, “There’s always something in the child’s car seat — if it’s not the stuffed animal, it’s the baby.”
And parents should institute a strict policy with their child care provider about day care drop-off. “If your child hasn’t arrived as scheduled, they need to get a hold of you” to ensure you didn’t mistakenly leave him in the rear seat, she said.
Fairfax County Fire and Rescue said there is no time for delay: “If you see a child alone in a vehicle, get involved,” they urged in a statement. “Call 911 immediately. If the child seems hot or sick, get them out of the vehicle as quickly as possible.”
