Prevent the Tragic Results | Children and Hot Cars

Every summer, we are reminded of the dangers of leaving children in hot vehicles. And every summer, we learn of more incidents involving children dying from heatstrokes inside of cars. On average, 37 children die each year in such tragic incidents. Over the years, we have addressed this particular safety issue on our blog many times, with the hope of enlightening our readers by providing tips to help prevent such dangerous situations.

• Hot Cars and Young Children Together Create Tragic Results
• Kids and Hot Cars: The Dangers of Hyperthermia
• Hot Car Deaths, the Law, and a New Way to Prevent Them
• Considering Leaving a Child in Hot Car? Think Again.
• “Baby Left in Vehicle for 30 Minutes on Hot Day”

As temperatures rise this summer, again we offer some tips to help keep your child(ren) safe around vehicles:

• Don’t take chances. Don’t leave your child unattended in a car.
• Check you child’s location regularly. Frequently, children stuck in hot cars wandered away while their parent assumed they were somewhere else.
• Talk to your children about the dangers of hot cars. Knowing that it is dangerous may prevent a child from climbing into a car by themselves.
• Call 911 if you see an unattended child in a car. Because the danger increases so rapidly, urgent medical attention is necessary.
• Always, always double check you car before locking it.
• Coordinate with other people who may be watching your child. Frequently, a change in the daily routine is the cause for leaving a child in a car.

While the tips for avoiding car-linked heatstrokes for children may seem simple, the reality is that this avoidable tragedy happens all too frequently. Please do your part to minimize the chances of another child becoming a summer heat-stroke victim.

When childcare providers or daycare workers leave children in their cars or vans, the results can be heart-breaking and devastating. If such an action impacted your child, contact Regan, Zambri & Long, LLP to discuss your legal options.