5 Myths About Hot Car Dangers, Debunked
Every year, children die after being left in the car on a hot day— even just for a few minutes. There are some misconceptions about this issue. Learn the truth and find practical tips to keep your kids safe.
It seems unthinkable, and yet it happens. Every year, children die after being left in the car on a hot day — even just for a few minutes.
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There are some misconceptions about this issue, as explained by pediatrician Skyler Kalady, MD. Here she separates five common myths from the facts and offers simple, powerful tips to protect children.
Fact: Researchers estimate that half of these incidents involve a loving parent or caregiver who forgets a sleeping child in the backseat. Even a simple change in the childcare drop-off routine could confuse sleep-deprived parents and cause them to leave an infant behind, unaware.
Fact: An outside temperature of just 60 degrees can heat your car up to well above 100.
Fact: On an 80-degree day, the temperature inside your vehicle can reach a dangerously hot level in as little as 10 minutes.
Fact: A child’s body’s temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s. Their body temperature can rise faster relative to their body surface area. Also, children don’t have the same ability to produce sweat to cool off.
Fact: According to researchers at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a car’s windows act as a greenhouse and cracking one does little to keep the car cool.
Dr. Kalady offers some common sense tips to help parents and caregivers. She says also it’s important to form the kind of daily habits that can prevent hot car deaths.
Most hot car deaths are accidental, yet there’s never a good reason to leave a child alone in the car for any length of time. If you see an infant or child in a parked car and no adults are present, it’s important to be a good citizen. Don’t hesitate to call 9-1-1. It could save a life.