SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – As dangerously hot temperatures move into the region, safety experts are reminding families that even on cloudy days, the inside of a parked vehicle can quickly become life-threatening.
Experts say a vehicle’s interior temperature can climb quickly in any weather over 55 degrees, even if it’s parked in the shade or the windows are cracked. Children are especially vulnerable because their bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults’. According to Kids and Car Safety, an average of 38 children die from heatstroke in hot vehicles each year in the United States.
“Cars get hot really fast. Even if you park in the shade, even if you roll down your window, the temperature in a car can go up 20 degrees in as little as 10 minutes,” said Nancy Raether, Sanford Child Services community programs coordinator.
Raether said many of these tragedies stem from an unexpected lapse in routine rather than intentional neglect.
“It’s just something so unexpected and unpredictable, and you just wouldn’t think that you would ever forget that you have your child in the car with you,” she said.
Pamela Cestia and Jamie Dill, grieving mothers and now advocates with Kids and Car Safety, know that heartbreak firsthand.
“The special thing about Thomas was he loved Toy Story. That was his favorite. He was rambunctious, adventurous, and funny, and like a bull in a china shop, just a boy,” Cestia said.
“It changed us completely. We never thought it could happen to us. I never thought my husband would ever forget his child. Right after Thomas passed away, we found out we were pregnant with our daughter, Caroline, and then we were even nervous that we could leave Caroline in the car,” she said.
Dill recalled the day her family changed forever.
“My husband and I had decided that he was going to take Ollie to school that day, and I would stay home and prepare for our vacation,” she said.
“My husband lost awareness that Ollie was in the car and went straight to his work and didn’t realize it until he went to pick up Ollie from daycare and opened the backseat door, and Ollie was still in there,” Dill said.
To help prevent these tragedies, experts encourage parents and caregivers to create visual reminders that prompt them to check the back seat before leaving their vehicle.
“It’s great if you can just build a habit, as a parent, to make sure you do leave something in the backseat that makes you check your backseat. Or if you have a stuffed animal that sits in your child’s car seat when they are not in their car seat, and when they are in their car seat, that animal is in the front seat next to you,” Raether said.
Other suggestions include placing a purse, cellphone, work badge, or even a shoe in the back seat to ensure drivers take one last look before locking the vehicle.
“It’s a tragedy that can be prevented, so don’t ever leave your kids alone in the car. Just take them with you,” Raether said.
Experts also remind families to keep vehicles locked when they are parked to prevent children from climbing inside unnoticed and to never leave a child or pet alone in a parked vehicle, even for a minute, regardless of the weather.
More information on Kids and Car Safety can be found here.
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