Strategies To Prevent Hot Car Heat Strokes In Children

Meaghan Kleine Blog

What’s worse than waking a sleeping child? Leaving them in a locked, hot car. With every minute spent alone in the parked car, the internal temperature rises and increases the child’s risk of heat stroke.

Heat stroke can be deadly, especially for young children who cannot regulate their body temperature. Any length of time spent in a hot car could result in tragedy.

While you might be certain that you would never leave your child alone in a hot car, can you say the same for other caregivers (the co-parent, grandparents, babysitters, etc)? If you’re unsure, review these statistics surrounding children left in cars and ways to prevent heat stroke or death.

 

Why Would A Child Be Left In A Hot Car?

From an outside perspective, it’s hard to imagine that a parent could possibly leave their child locked inside a hot car. The majority of news reports focus on cases of clear neglect or intent to harm — but not every tragedy occurs this way.

The Injury Prevention Center at Arkansas Children's Hospital investigated various cases where a child was left in a hot car, and here’s what they found:

  • 27% of children entered the car unattended by an adult
  • 56% of children were forgotten in the backseat
  • 28% of the children forgotten should have been at daycare

The child’s age plays a big factor in hot car statistics as well. 88% of children who pass away from a car heatstroke are younger than three. Infants (under the age of 1) are the most at-risk population, making up over half of the heatstroke deaths.

Every hot car heatstroke death investigated has a different story. The circumstances surrounding the tragedy are crucial for law professionals, as these details will help determine the potential criminal charges brought against the parent or guardian.

 

 

 

Fort Smith Case Example

In July 2024, the Fort Smith Police Department (FSPD) arrested two individuals for leaving a young child in a parked car while they entered a retail facility. Thanks to vigilant onlookers, the police rescued the child before tragedy struck. Here’s what the FSPD said regarding the incident, “If you see a child alone in a car, act immediately. Anyone who leaves a child in a hot car will be arrested. Fort Smith Police will not tolerate it, especially at this time of year when minutes matter! Forgetting is not an excuse.” Both of the individuals have been charged with endangering the welfare of a minor in the first degree.

This isn’t just an Arkansas problem either. Every summer, police around the country encounter children left alone in hot cars.

 

 

How To Prevent A Tragedy

From April to October, Little Rock, Arkansas has an average daily temperature of 72 degrees or higher. Now we know what you’re thinking native Arkansans, 72 degrees isn’t hot!  But it is when you’re stuck in a car with no air conditioning. The internal car temperature rises quickly and can reach upwards of 100 degrees in 30 minutes. And that’s just the statistics for a 70 degree day. Think about July and August, when the average temperature in Little Rock is 91 degrees.

 

 

In an effort to prevent car heat strokes, the Arkansas Children’s Hospital created a helpful acronym for caregivers to review before entering and exiting their car: A.C.T.

  • A – Avoid tragedy
    • Take your child out of the car every time you exit.
    • Whenever the car is empty, lock the doors to avoid a child entering unnoticed.

 

  • C – Create reminders
    • Ask your partner to call you around daycare drop off time.
    • Set an alarm on your cell phone.
    • Place your child’s bag in the front seat or place your work bag in the back seat.

 

  • T – Take Action
    • Be alert of your surroundings and call 911 if you spot an unattended child in a parked car.
    • Follow the 911 operator’s instructions to rescue the child.

 

By incorporating A.C.T. into your daily routine, you can help save young children from dying of heatstroke.

 

Worried About Your Child’s Safety? Hickey & Hull Can Help

Are you concerned about your ex-partner potentially leaving your child alone in a hot car? Or worse, was your child previously left unattended? You may have a case to modify your court-ordered visitation schedule with the co-parent. Time is of the essence — don’t wait for tragedy to strike. Consult with a legal professional at Hickey & Hull to start working on a new custody agreement today.