National Heatstroke Prevention Day Press Release

MEDIA CONTACT
Gary Karton
[email protected]
202-604-5353

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                                    
May 1, 2025

As Temperatures Rise, Safety Advocates Join on National Heatstroke Prevention Day to Remind Parents to be Vigilant about Proven Strategies to Prevent Hot Car Tragedies

An average of 37 children die each year, and all hot car tragedies are preventable

Jacksonville, FL, May 1, 2025 — As part of a collaborative effort to raise awareness about preventing hot car tragedies, representatives from Safe Kids Worldwide, Kids and Car Safety, and the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) joined local health professionals from Wolfson Children’s Hospital, first responders, and safety advocates at the Mitchell Learning Academy in Jacksonville, Florida to share proven strategies and tips for parents, caregivers, and bystanders. 

• Prevention information and tools can be found at Safekids.org/heatstroke, kidsandcars.org/hot-cars/media-resources, or jpmacares.org/car-seat-safety-tips

The event, held on National Heatstroke Prevention Day, also featured Makia Wallace, who lost her 21-month-old son, Jace, after he was left in a hot car by his caregiver. Wallace started the Love Like Jace Foundation in April 2021 to advance child safety.

“I know my son is safe in heaven cheering me on saying, ‘Keep going mommy, fight for every kid that looks like me. Be the voice for those who can’t speak up,’” said Makia Wallace. “This can happen to anyone, which is scary. But these tragedies are preventable, which is hopeful. And that’s the hope I embrace now.”

Since 1990, at least 1,125 children have died from heatstroke while unattended in vehicles, including one preventable tragedy so far this year. On average, 37 children die each year–that’s one child every nine days.

“More than half of all deaths occur when a driver unintentionally leaves their child in the car, often when the child is supposed to be dropped at childcare,” said Torine Creppy, president of Safe Kids Worldwide. “If we are going to reach families where they are, then our work must include engaging and partnering with childcare facilities to post flyers, share tips, educate staff and parents, and create a system to alert parents if a child doesn’t show up to childcare as expected.”

Technologies to prevent hot car deaths are already available, and more continue to develop. Many vehicles have systems that remind the driver to check the back seat, under certain conditions. Others have more advanced systems that sense the presence of a child or other vulnerable occupants. Several car seat brands have sensor systems that are paired with the driver’s smartphone to provide warnings when a child is unintentionally left behind.

"There is nothing more heartbreaking than losing a child or animal in a hot car, especially when we have the technology to prevent these tragedies,” said Janette Fennell, president of Kids and Car Safety. “Failing to use these life-saving solutions is not just irresponsible, it’s inexcusable. Every time we delay action, lives are lost. The price of inaction is our children — and that is simply unacceptable."

“Because children are precious and behavior is difficult to consistently change, car seat and vehicle makers are voluntarily adding sensing and reminder features,” said Joe Colella, Director of Child Passenger Safety for the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association. “All parents should practice Stop, Look, Lock, and these technologies further help prevent these horrible tragedies.”

Research shows that the temperature inside a car can heat up 19 degrees in just 10 minutes and up to 55 degrees in a few hours. Heatstroke occurs when the body is unable to cool itself quickly enough. Young children are particularly at risk, since a child’s body heats up three to five times faster than an adult’s. When a child’s internal temperature reaches 104 degrees, major organs begin to shut down, and when the temperature reaches 107 degrees, the child can die.

Hot car deaths involve families from all walks of life, regardless of education, income, race, profession, or other demographics. On average, half of these tragedies occur when infants or toddlers are inadvertently left in vehicles by distracted caregivers. Since 2020, a growing percentage of hot car deaths occur when small children gain access to unlocked vehicles on their own and become trapped. The remaining cases mostly occur when children are intentionally left in vehicles, usually when the driver intends to only be away for a brief period.

Parents, caregivers, and bystanders are encouraged to help reduce the number of heatstroke deaths taking the following steps:

• Look before you lock and never leave a young child alone in a car, not even for a minute.
• Lock your doors and keep your keys and key fobs out of the reach of kids. And ask your neighbors to do the same.
• Create reminders by putting something in the back of your car that you’ll need at your final destination such as a phone, briefcase, or purse.
• Arrange for your childcare provider to contact you right away if your child hasn’t arrived as scheduled.
• And if you see a child alone in a car, take action. Call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life.

Safe Kids Worldwide, Kids and Car Safety, and JPMA are part of a group of advocates, including noheatstroke.org and National Safety Council, who are all committed to preventing kids from dying in hot cars by using every tool necessary, including awareness, education, technology, and advocacy.

For more information on preventing child heatstroke deaths, please visit Safekids.org/heatstroke, kidsandcars.org, or jpmacares.org/car-seat-safety-tips

About Safe Kids Worldwide
Safe Kids Worldwide is a nonprofit organization working to reduce unintentional injuries to children ages 0-19 and build sustainable systems that support injury prevention. Since 1988, Safe Kids and its partners have contributed to a more than 60 percent reduction in the rate of fatal childhood unintentional injury in the U.S. Learn more at safekids.org.

About Kids and Car Safety
Kids and Car Safety (KACS) is the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to preventing nontraffic motor vehicle fatalities and injuries involving children and pets. Through data-driven research, public education, policy advocacy, product redesign, and family support, we work to eliminate dangers in and around vehicles — many of which were previously overlooked. These everyday tragedies include hot car deaths, backovers, carbon monoxide poisoning, trunk entrapment, power window strangulation, vehicle theft with occupants inside, and other preventable incidents.  

About JPMA
The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) is the voice of the industry on quality and safety for baby and children's products in North America. We work to advance the interests of manufacturers, parents, children and the industry at large by advocating for safety through product certification programs and legislative and regulatory involvement. We support our broad and diverse membership through member-only programming and industry promotion, and we act as a comprehensive source for baby product information and education. Established in 1962, this year JPMA marks its 60th year of helping protect future generations by advancing the availability and safety of products used to care for babies and young children.