Reminder that parents should never leave kids alone in car
Don’t leave
kids alone in car

With the weather heating up across the country, there are many health issues that parents may want to learn more about.

One important issue is the danger involved in leaving children unattended in a vehicle, especially in warm weather.

According to General Motors and the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, at least 175 children have died from heatstroke between 1996 and 2002 because they were trapped in hot, parked cars. Many more have been injured, some permanently.

Since 2001, General Motors and the National SAFE KIDS Campaign have partnered on the "Never Leave Your Child Alone," a campaign to educate parents and caregivers about the dangers of leaving children alone in hot, closed vehicles.

Recent research shows that on a 95-degree day in the sun, the temperature within a small vehicle can exceed 122 degrees within 20 minutes and 150 degrees within 40 minutes. It also shows that even when outdoor temperatures are as low as 60 degrees, a vehicle can heat up to dangerous levels.

Although these temperatures would be hazardous even for an adult, they are even more so for small children because their core body temperatures rise three to five times faster than an adult’s, making them much more susceptible to heat-related injuries.

"I cannot stress enough that it is never okay for a child to be left alone in a closed vehicle, even with the window cracked. Nor should a child be allowed to play in or around an unlocked vehicle," said Robert C. Lange, executive director, structure and safety integration for General Motors. "These senseless deaths are completely preventable."

The results of a new study indicated that in humid heat, prevalent in many areas of the U.S., serious injury or death to a child in a closed vehicle can occur in half the time than it takes in dry heat conditions.

However, in both situations, extreme heat can prove dangerous in only a matter of minutes. GM of Canada commissioned the study, conducted by Dr. Oded Bar-Or, director of the Children’s Exercise and Nutrition Center at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Dr. Bar-Or is one of the world’s leading authorities on thermal injury to children.

"No parent deliberately exposes their child to what becomes an oven-like temperature. The price they pay for this ignorance and absentmindedness is unimaginable," said Heather Paul, Ph.D., executive director of Safe Kids. "Our job is to convince parents that kids, cars and heat are a deadly combination."

GM and Safe Kids offer these tips on keeping kids safe in and around hot cars:

• Never leave a child unattended in a motor vehicle, even with a window open.

• Teach children not to play in, or around cars.

• Always lock car doors and trunks and keep keys out of children’s reach.

• Watch children closely around cars, particularly when loading or unloading items.

• Ensure that all children exit the vehicle at your destination.

• Don’t overlook sleeping infants.

• Check the temperature of car seats and seat belt buckles before restraining your child.

Following these tips can help make the ride safer and more comfortable for your child.

For more information, visit www.gmability.com or www.safekids.org.

This story was provided by the North American Precis Syndicate.