Heatstrokes- The Lethal Effect of Leaving A Child Unattended in a Car.

A heatstroke is caused by being exposed to extremely high temperatures to the point where your body is not able to dissipate the heat. Leaving children in an unattended car is a common cause of heatstrokes.

It doesn’t have to be necessarily hot outside either.  A car In 60 degree weather can reach an inside temperature of 110 degrees. This is why it is so important to remember never to leave a child inside a car at any time of year.

Parents whom are distracted and leave a child in a car on accident may not realize how lethal the results could be. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration a child will die once its body temperature reaches 107 degrees.

“Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash related vehicle fatalities for kids 14 and younger in the United States” and even more shocking, “temperatures inside a vehicle can reach deadly levels in just 10 minutes.”

It is important to find ways to remind yourself to check the backseat before leaving your car. Doing things as simple as keeping your purse in your backseat could help.

Always keep your car locked and your keys out of reach from your children.

If you see a child in a car unattended do not walk away. There is a good chance their guardian left them on accident. First, make sure the child is responsive and if not contact 911 promptly. If they seem to be okay try to locate the guardian. Never leave the child assuming someone will be back soon. This could be the difference of life and death for this child.

It is important to continue to spread awareness on this issue and to continually strive to decrease the number of fatalities reached each year.