A Hot Car Is No Place For Kids

Think about the last time you had a hectic day. You were probably changing plans, adjusting schedules, and you may have forgotten a thing or two. Believe it or not, these are some of the distractions that have caused people to forget children in the back seat of the car. In some cases though, an adult left a child in the car purposefully while running into a store for a quick errand. Since the early 2000’s, more than 600 child heat related fatalities have occurred. Tragically, we have seen seemingly competent parents have a chaotic day and forget a child in the back of the car or miscalculate the time needed to “quickly” run into the store. Is this a risk when being pulled in so many directions?

            It only takes 10 minutes for a car to heat up 20 degrees. While some assume that cracking a window helps, partial ventilation does little to keep a car cool. With temperatures even in the 60s, the car can reach well above 110 degrees quicker than one thinks. Unfortunately, a child’s body temperature can rise up to five times faster than an adult’s and once a child’s temperature reaches 107 degrees, heat-related death may result. Heatstroke can happen when the temperature outside is as low as 57 degrees.

            The legal consequences for leaving a child in the car vary state by state. Each state has a law for the duration of time a child can be alone in a car depending on their age. In PA, “A person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle may not permit a child under six years of age to remain unattended in the vehicle when the motor vehicle is out of the person’s sight.” If a child is harmed while left alone in a car, punishments include, but not limited to, a $500 fine, or imprisonment.

            Some helpful tips to help remember a child is in the back seat include, placing a stuff animal in the front seat, leaving your purse or cell phone in the back seat next to the child, or keep a musical toy playing in the back seat to maintain awareness. Even if you think your errand will be a quick transaction, it is never a good policy to leave kids of any age unattended in a car.