By Jessica Fox
Summer is often the season of travel in Indiana. And with that in mind, the Indiana State Police want to remind parents to make sure not to leave their children in cars unattended.
Every year children are found dead after being left in hot cars. And according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, cars that are parked in direct sunlight can reach up to 170 degrees when it is between 80 and 100 degrees outside.
Even an outside temperature of 60 degrees can cause car temperatures to rise as high as 110 degrees.
With the windows rolled down 2 inches the car can still reach up to 100 degrees in just 15 minutes.
According to a report done by the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences at San Francisco University, as of June 25, 13 children in the United States have died from heat stroke after being left in a hot car. More than 40 children died by this cause in 2013.
Here are a few tips to easily avoid this situation.
- Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.
- If you see a child unattended in a hot car call 9-1-1.
- Be sure that all occupants leave the vehicle when unloading. Don’t overlook sleeping babies.
- Always lock your car and make sure that children do not have access to keys or remote entry devices.
- Keep a stuffed animal in the car seat and when the child is put in the seat place the animal in the front with the driver.
- Place your purse or briefcase in the back seat as a reminder that you have your child in the car.
- Make “look before you leave” a routine whenever you get out of the car.
- Have a plan that your childcare provider will call you if your child does not show up for school.
