Important Safety Question:
Here’s an important summer child safety question for you: how long can you safely leave your child in the car unattended?
Trick question: the correct answer is no. Never.
According to Nathan Allen MD, emergency room doctor at the University of Chicago “There is no safe amount of time to leave children alone in the car.” Children are at much higher risk of heat stroke than adults, due to their size.
Every Year Children in the U.S. Die in Hot Cars
In the U.S., an average of 38 kids per year die of hyperthermia in locked cars; the majority of incidents happen during the summer months. Parents or caregivers thought the kids would be okay “for just a few minutes”. But the fact is, that on an average summer day, the inside temperature of your car can be like an oven in a very short time.
Source: Jan Null, adjunct professor of meteorology at San Francisco State University
Be Safe
The Virginia Department of Health has the following safety recommendations:
“Look and Lock” before you leave your car to make sure that you don’t absent-mindedly leave your sleeping child behind in the car.
Use reminders. Keep a stuffed animal or diaper bag in the front passenger seat to remind you when a child is in the vehicle.
Be on the Lookout
What to do if you see a child left unattended in a hot car? Call 911 if you suspect that an unattended child left in a locked vehicle is in danger. Remain at the vehicle until authorities arrive.
Let’s have a safe, fun summer RVA!
