Look Before You Lock

Safe Kids Worldwide Reminds Caregivers to Look Before You Lock, Never Leave a Child Alone in a Car

Statement by Torine Creppy, President of Safe Kids Worldwide

May 9, 2025

We are devastated to learn that a 2-year-old girl died this week in Silver Spring, Maryland, after being left alone in a hot car. This is at least the second hot car death this year. Tragically, a child dies in a hot car on average every nine days in the U.S., and at least 1,127 children have died in hot vehicles nationwide since 1998. In more than half of these cases, the parent or caregiver -unknowingly left the child in the vehicle.

Yet we know there are things we can do to prevent these heartbreaking events. As we grieve this loss, we remind parents and caregivers to ACT:

• Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving a car, not even for a minute. A car can heat up 19 degrees in just 10 minutes, and cracking a window doesn't help. Young children are particularly at risk, as their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult's.
• Create reminders. Even loving, responsible caregivers have unknowingly left a young child was in the car. Place something that you know you'll need at your final destination — a purse, phone, or briefcase, for example — in the backseat, and always look before you lock
• Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life. For more information, please visit www.safekids.org/heatstroke.