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Heatstroke is killing kids in hot cars. Here's how to prevent it

Heatstroke is the number one cause of non-crash related deaths for children 14 and younger.
Credit: sutteerug / Thinkstock

It’s Spring, and although much of the country is experiencing cooler than average temps, children are still at risk of dying from heatstroke in the car.

No matter the season, it’s important to remember that heatstroke can kill year-round.

Two children have already died in hot cars this this year and kids are especially vulnerable; their bodies heat up three to five times faster than adult’s. Couple that with the fact that sunlight can turn a car into an oven, even on a relatively cool day, and you have a recipe for disaster.

It's a preventable disaster, however, and caregivers need to be extra vigilant.

Forgetting a child may sound unlikely, but with all the busyness of parenting, it’s a more common threat than you might think. In fact, 30 to 40 kids die of in-car heatstroke each year.

Use these easy tips keep your child safe:

If someone else is driving your child, or your daily routine has been altered in some way, always check to make sure your child has arrived safely. Research shows that many of these accidents happen when a caregiver's routine is disrupted.

Stash your purse or briefcase behind the driver’s seat, rather than on the front-passenger seat. That way you’ll have to open the rear door to grab your bag, making it pretty hard to miss your baby.

Never – we mean never – leave your child unattended in the car, even if you’re just running into the gas station or grocery store.

Finally, if you see a child alone in a car, get involved. If the child seems hot or sick, call 911 immediately.

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