Protecting Children From Hot Cars

Children overheat four times faster than adults, which, combined with Arizona’s scorching temperatures and the heat-amplifying properties of a vehicle, can lead to the loss of a kid in mere minutes. Heatstroke is the leading cause of non-accident vehicle-related deaths for children under 15, and should never be taken lightly. Take steps to educate yourself and avoid forgetting a child in your car.

Never Leave Children Unattended in Vehicles

To reiterate, never leave a child unattended in a vehicle, even if the windows are cracked or the weather is fair. Temperatures in a car can reach points that are lethal for kids, even in cloudy or mild weather and even if the windows are open somewhat. Additionally, children are worse at judging their own health and might not want to leave the car for one reason or another; just because an adult can stay in a hot car responsibly and get out if they feel sick doesn’t mean a kid can.

So how can you avoid a terrible accident? Always ensure that there are no children left in vehicles unattended. The safety of kids is everyone’s priority, and by keeping an eye on other cars, you can keep honest caregiver mistakes from becoming tragic news stories.

• As a driver and parent, try to make a routine of checking the back seat to be sure you haven’t left a kid behind. Putting a shoe, purse, or another item there which will force you to turn around and retrieve it every time you get out of the vehicle can be a good way to get into the habit.
• Lock car doors whenever you get out of the vehicle. Over a quarter of all children who die in a hot car do so after gaining access to the vehicle on their own after a caregiver has left. Always make sure that minors can’t get into your car while it’s unattended.
• If you see an unattended child in someone else’s car and are even slightly concerned, you have a responsibility to make sure they’re safe. If the child is responsive and seemingly well, stay with them and have someone try to find the driver. If the child is in pain or is unconscious, you should immediately call 911, remove the child from the vehicle, and treat heatstroke with cool (not ice-cold) water.

Arizona Wrongful Death Attorneys for Children

Unfortunately, children are injured and die for vehicle-related reasons as a matter of fact, even after the best efforts of the auto industry to make cars a safer place. Heat-related death doesn’t compare to the number of child fatalities auto accidents cause every year, and yet it can be all the more stressful, knowing that their injury or death could have easily been prevented. If your child was left in a hot car by someone you entrusted them to in Arizona, ELG ACCIDENT ATTORNEYS’s compassionate wrongful death attorneys are able to secure you strong compensation for the stress, suffering, and medical costs associated with such a traumatic event. Whether your child suffered heatstroke or was lost altogether, call us today at (623) 877-3600 to schedule a free consultation and see how you can get the compensation your child deserves for their suffering.