Safety Tip Tuesday - Heatstroke Prevention Day, July 31
July 31st is National Heatstroke Prevention Day
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is calling on the public to help prevent children from dying in hot cars this summer. To promote social awareness and amplify the conversation about this safety issue, the agency will host a Tweet-up on July 31.
Heatstroke isn’t about irresponsible people intentionally leaving children in cars; most cases occur when a child is mistakenly left or gets into a vehicle unattended and becomes trapped. Since 1998, 772 U.S. children have died of heatstroke in hot cars — 29 this year to date. On average, one child dies from heatstroke in a vehicle nearly every 10 days in the United States. A total of 43 children died from heatstroke in 2017.
Heatstroke in children can happen quickly, as their bodies are smaller and weigh less, and are more prone to the effects of extreme temperatures. It doesn’t need to be a hot day. When the temperature outside is as low as 60 degrees, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach 110 degrees. If a child’s body temperature reaches 107 degrees, the child will die.
NHTSA encourages parents to be mindful to keep keys out of reach of children and to keep car doors locked after exiting the car. If you see a child alone in a vehicle, call 911. Chances are the child was left by accident. If the child appears in distress or is non-responsive, remove the child from the vehicle and spray the child with cool water.
Tips to Avoid Child Heatstroke
Always Look Before You Lock
Always check the back seats of your vehicle before you lock it and walk away.
Keep a stuffed animal or other memento in your child’s car seat when it’s empty, and move it to the front seat as a visual reminder when your child is in the back seat.
If someone else is driving your child, or your daily routine has been altered, always check to make sure your child has arrived safely.
Keep in Mind a Child’s Sensitivity to Heat
In 10 minutes, a car’s temperature can rise over 20 degrees.
Even at an outside temperature of 60 degrees, the temperature inside your car can reach 110 degrees.
Understand the Potential Consequences of Kids in Hot Cars
Severe injury or death
Being arrested and jailed
A lifetime of regret
The same safety precautions should be taken with pets. Do not leave pets inside vehicles unattended in warm temperatures.
#checkforbaby #heatstrokekills