Press Release

NHTSA Joins Kentucky Safety Advocates to Highlight Dangers of Child Heatstroke in Hot Cars

Auto safety agency urges caregivers to think ‘Where’s baby? Look before you lock.’

July 9, 2012

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – With the Kentucky summer already heating up, David Strickland, Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), today joined SafeKids Worldwide, Kentucky Department of Transportation officials and health professionals to discuss ways to prevent child deaths and injuries in hot cars and urge parents and caregivers to think "Where's baby? Look before you lock."

"This campaign is designed for families with young children, but it applies to everyone who cares about the safety of children," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "We hope these simple tips will save lives and help families avoid unnecessary heartache."

Statewide, at least 18 children have lost their lives to vehicular heatstroke since 1998, with most deaths occurring among children ages 3 and younger. Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children under the age of 14.

In response to a growing incidence of heat-related deaths, NHTSA and SafeKids Worldwide announced a new partnership during July to prevent heatstroke. As part of this joint effort, the nation's top auto safety agency and one of the country's most vocal child safety organizations will host public events throughout July to highlight the dangers of heatstroke.

"Everything we know about this terrible danger to children indicates heatstroke in hot cars can happen to any caregiver from any walk of life – and the majority of these cases are accidental tragedies that can strike even the most loving and conscientious parents," said NHTSA Administrator Strickland. "We hope our campaign not only helps caregivers avoid accidentally harming a child but also clears up some of the misconceptions about the causes of child heatstroke in cars."

When outside temperatures are in the low 80s, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach deadly levels in only 10 minutes, even with a window rolled down two inches. Children's bodies in particular overheat easily, and infants and children under four years old are at the greatest risk for heat-related illness.

Data from the San Francisco State University Department of Geosciences show 33 children died last year due to heatstroke – medically termed "hyperthermia" – while there were at least 49 deaths in 2010. An unknown number of children are also injured each year due to heatstroke in hot cars, suffering ailments including permanent brain injury, blindness, and the loss of hearing, among others. Often heatstroke deaths and injuries occur after a child gets into an unlocked vehicle to play unbeknownst to the parent. Other incidents can occur when a parent or caregiver who is not used to transporting a child as part of their daily routine inadvertently forgets a sleeping infant in a rear-facing car seat in the back of the vehicle.

In addition to Kentucky, through the partnership, NHTSA, Safe Kids, and its safety partners will also visit North Carolina, Missouri, Georgia and Arizona to urge parents and caregivers to take the following precautions to prevent heatstroke incidents from occurring:

• Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle – even if the windows are partially open or the engine is running and the air conditioning is on;
• Make a habit of looking in the vehicle – front and back – before locking the door and walking away;
• Ask the childcare provider to call if the child does not show up for care as expected;
• Do things that serve as a reminder a child is in the vehicle, such as placing a purse or briefcase in the back seat to ensure no child is accidentally left in the vehicle, writing a note or using a stuffed animal placed in the driver's view to indicate a child is in the car seat; and,
• Teach children a vehicle is not a play area and store keys out of a child's reach.

NHTSA and Safe Kids urge community members who see a child alone in a hot vehicle to immediately call 911 or the local emergency number. A child in distress due to heat should be removed from the vehicle as quickly as possible and rapidly cooled with water.

To learn more about NHTSA's "Where's baby? Look before you lock." campaign, visit www.SaferCar.gov/heatstroke.

Safe Kids supports NHTSA's hyperthermia education campaign and the increased national coordination on the issue. In addition, with the support of the GM Foundation, Safe Kids and its network of 600 coalitions and chapters across the nation are helping to educate parents and caregivers through its hyperthermia awareness campaign, Never Leave Your Child Alone In a Car.

To learn more about Safe Kids' "Never Leave Your Child Alone in a Car" campaign, visit www.safekids.org/heatstroke.

Media Contact

Jen Pollakusky
Media Manager
jpollakusky@safekids.org
202-662-4476

July 9, 2012