PHOENIX — You’ve heard the phrase: “Two seconds is too long to leave your child near water.” The same goes for a hot car.
The summer sun can quickly turn a parked car into an oven as temperatures inside can rise 20 degrees in as little as 10 minutes.
Last year, three kids died from being left inside of hot cars in Arizona, according to Kids and Car Safety.
What parents should know about child hot car deaths
That’s why HonorHealth Emergency Medicine Physician Dr. Robin Samaddar said children should never be left alone in a car, even for quick trips.
“It’s hard to deal with a kid getting in and out of the car even for short little errands,” he said.
“But when you think about how hot a car can get over a short period of time, and what it can do to a child that physiologically cannot adapt as quickly as adults, it can really affect kids dramatically.”
Samaddar said he knows firsthand how quickly a simple mistake can turn into a tragedy.
“One of the hardest things that I have to do is to tell a parent — whose child was running around just a few hours ago — that they’re dead. And the unspoken thing about that — the thing that we don’t say — and the worst part about it is we know that it’s preventable,” Samaddar said.
How do child hot car deaths occur?
A child’s body overheats up to five times faster than an adult’s, according to HonorHealth.
Children are also at risk because they often can’t advocate for themselves, Samaddar said. He urged parents and guardians to look for warning signs that a child may be overheating, such as flushed skin, confusion and lethargy.
More than half of child hot car deaths occur when a minor is unknowingly left in a vehicle. Often this occurs when a caregiver is distracted or thrown off of their regular routines.
Kids and Car Safety recommends placing a child’s diaper bag or another essential item in the front seat as a visual reminder that the child is in the car.
Guardians should also ask childcare providers to call them immediately if their child hasn’t arrived when they’re supposed to. Further safety tips from Kids and Car Safety can be found on the nonprofit’s website.
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