FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – As outside temperatures reach a sweltering 95 degrees and above this week, Indiana State Police are reminding all motorists, parents and pet owners of the extreme dangers of leaving valuable cargo unattended in a hot car.
Even at moderate outside temperatures at this time of year (just under 21 degrees), temperatures of 49 degrees Celsius or more can quickly be reached in a parked car with the windows rolled up.
ISP Fort Wayne has released the following:
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), over the past 25 years, more than 970 children have died of heat stroke because they were left or trapped in a hot car. It’s important for everyone to understand that these tragedies can happen to anyone – but are always preventable.
Know the facts
A child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s. If a child is left in a vehicle, their temperature can rise quickly – and the situation can quickly become dangerous.
Heat stroke begins when the core body temperature reaches about 40 degrees Celsius.
A child can die if his body temperature reaches 41.6 °C.
In 2023, 29 children died of heat stroke in vehicles.
In 2018 and 2019, there were a record number of deaths from overheated cars, with 53 children dying each year, according to NoHeatstroke.org, the highest number in at least 25 years.
Everyone can help prevent deaths from overheated cars
Parents and caregivers can prevent deaths in overheated cars by …
Never leave a child unattended in a car for long periods of time. The temperature inside the vehicle can hardly be changed by rolling down the windows or parking in the shade.
Make it a habit to check your entire vehicle, especially the back seat, before locking the doors and leaving.
Ask your daycare center to call if your child does not show up for care when expected.
Place a personal item such as a purse or briefcase in the back seat to remind yourself to check before locking. Write a note or place a stuffed animal in the passenger seat to remind yourself that a child is in the back seat.
Keep car keys out of the reach of children and teach them that a car is not a playground.
Act quickly. Save a life.
If you see a child alone in a locked car, act immediately and call 911. A child in distress due to heat should be removed from the vehicle as quickly as possible and cooled rapidly.
Find out more here
