I am sure that you have heard of all of the stories lately of parents forgetting their children in the car. This absolutely blows my!! I know there are times when I am forgetful and distracted, but to leave a child in a car is beyond my comprehension. Being that it is now summer and temps in Texas are 100+ each day, I can only imagine what the temperature inside my car gets when left out in the sun. This is one reason why we don’t run many errands during the day because it is just too hot!!
Thursday, July 31 marks National Heatstroke Prevention Day.
Ford Motor Company is supporting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s efforts to tackle the alarming safety threat that heatstroke poses for young children left in hot cars.
Did you know?
·Last year alone, 44 children in the United States lost their lives after being left in unattended motor vehicles.
·More than half (52%) of kids who died from vehicular heatstroke were “forgotten” by their caregiver
·A child’s temp can heat up to 5 times faster than an adult’s on a hot day.
·Studies show that when the temperature outside is 90 degrees the temperature inside a parked car can rise to 109 degrees in 10 minutes, 119 degrees in 20 minutes and 124 degrees in 30 minutes.
As summer temperatures rise, here are a few simple tips for parents and childcare providers to keep kids safe inside of vehicles:
1. Never leave infants or children alone in a parked car, even if the windows are partially open
2. Make sure the safety seat and safety belt buckles aren’t too hot before securing a child in a restraint system
3. Don’t ever leave sleeping infants in the car
4. Be sure to check the front and back seats of a vehicle before locking it and walking away
5. Lock your car when you’re not in it, so kids can’t get in on their own
Along with NHTSA, state and other safety partners, join Ford in a campaign to keep kids safe inside of vehicles – especially during the hot summer months!
Too add to this, whether it is hot or cold outside be vigilant. Your kids depend on you, you are their caregiver, you are the one who is to keep them safe. If you are doing something out of your normal routine, set a reminder on your phone to check in with whoever has the kids are even to remind yourself. Babies are precious gifts that we need to do all we can to protect!!
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