Summer is in full swing and that means the heat is here. Much of the country has been bracing itself as temperatures climb well into the 90s and with the humidity factored in, making it feel like it over 100 degrees. These extremely high temperatures are not just uncomfortable, they can also be downright dangerous. Children are especially vulnerable to all types of heat-related injuries. Since 1998, more than 800 children have died after becoming trapped in hot cars. Already this year there have been 21 hot car deaths reported. Despite hot car deaths making headlines, it still seems that too many people have misconceptions about this type of scary yet preventable injury. The following are a few of the top hot car death myths debunked:
MYTH #1: Child hot car deaths are criminal acts, not accidents.
FACTS: According to data collected by the National Safety Counsel, only about 19 percent of children killed in hot cars were done with the intent of killing the child. In the other 80 percent or more of cases, the children killed in hot car deaths were accidental in nature. The NSC also found that more than 25 percent of children killed were playing in an unattended vehicle and became trapped. One of the ways all adults, even those without children, can prevent hot car deaths is by keeping vehicles locked.
MYTH #2: This type of thing could never happen to me or my family.
FACTS: For any parent, thinking of a child dying due to heatstroke after becoming forgotten in a vehicle is scary and frankly unimaginable event. But the scary truth of the matter is that for more than 50 percent of the children who die each year in hot car deaths, this is exactly what happened. It has happened to a police officer, a hospital CEO, a postal clerk, and a social worker. In most cases, the parent forgot that the child was in the back seat of the car. The human brain has a tendency to go into autopilot mode when faced with routine tasks, for example, like driving to work. A simple change in routine, like a parent who is usually not responsible for dropping off a child at daycare, can enter autopilot mode and simply drive to work. Unless the child wakes up and starts making noise, it is easy for the parent to forget and to continue to drive to work instead of to the daycare center. Studies have shown that more than 50 percent of children who died in hot car deaths were under the age of 2.
MYTH #3: It is okay to leave a child unattended for a minute if the windows are left open.
FACTS. Did you know that on a 75-degree day the inside of a car can reach 94 degrees in just 10 minutes? Researches have found that cracking a window makes very little difference. The sun comes through the window and heats up the car’s interior surfaces, which in turn, warm the air. Adults are often unaware that a child’s body will heat up 3 to 5 times faster than an adult, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Researchers have found that parking in the shade and the color of the car’s exterior do not matter—vehicles can heat up to unsafe temperatures just as quick. To be safe never leave a child unattended in a vehicle for even a minute even in fair weather.
Trusting someone to care for your child is one of the most difficult decisions a parent can make. If your child suffered a serious injury or death while in the care of another you may be able to hold this individual responsible for his or her injuries. The team of Kansas City Personal Injury Attorneys at Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. are skilled litigators who are experienced in advocating on behalf of injury victims. To schedule a free and completely confidential consultation, contact our office today at (816) 472-4673.