Likelihood of Hot Car Deaths Rising with Summer Temperatures

FORT WORTH (WBAP/KLIF) – The dangers of leaving children unattended in hot cars are increasing with North Texas summer temperatures.

Research from KidsandCars.org shows that 20 children in the U.S. have died in hot cars since April; four of them in Texas.

Medstar President, Matt Zavadsky, said Wednesday that in many cases stress or fatigue for new parents can lead to accidentally leaving a child in a car.

“Try to put something that you are going to need to get out of you car in the backseat,” said Zavadsky. “Like a purse, or a briefcase or a cell phone.”

Studies show 80% of the increase in temperature in a car happens in the first 10 minutes. A child’s body heat increases 3-5 times faster than an adult’s. Zavadsky warned that children, especially babies, often fall asleep in their rear‐facing child safety seats; becoming quiet, unobtrusive passengers.

According to a KidsandCars.org study, 88% of children who have died from vehicular heat stroke are age 3 and younger. 54% of heat stroke deaths in vehicles involve children age one and younger.

Heat index values in North Texas are expected to surpass 100 degrees throughout the week.