Aug 24, 2016 5 min read

Thanks to modern medicine, the world is a much safer place for babies and small children. However, even in an age where technology has helped reduce the death rate from premature births, and deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) are declining, children are lost every year to heatstroke from being left in a hot car — a 100% avoidable set of circumstances.

“One Decision” is the name of Redcastle Production’s 2013 public safety film about the risk you take leaving a child in a hot car. Making the choice not to leave children in a precarious situation seems like a simple thing, something every parent would do without question, but be careful in making that conclusion. It’s precisely this outlook that has resulted in children’s deaths.

No parent wants to think themselves capable of committing such an act. Often times when these types of deaths occur, the court of public opinion instantly declares mom or dad negligent, afflicted or unfit to raise children. The truth is, however, that many highly-functional families simply make a mistake or commit an oversight. It’s something we’re all capable of, and realizing this is the first step in making your child safe.

Understanding just how susceptible your child is when left in the car can make it obvious why you should never leave them there. Because your car with the doors closed creates a greenhouse (yes, even with a window cracked) the temperature inside the car can rise by 30-40 degrees within an hour on a fairly mild, 72-degree day. To make things worse, the temperature increases more rapidly during the first half hour.

Just 15 minutes left in a car, and less on a very hot day, can cause brain and liver damage that can have lifelong impacts on a child.

Don’t ever take the risk of leaving your child in the car while out running errands. We’ve all experienced the way a brief shopping expedition can turn into a prolonged ordeal. Even if it’s just to run in and get one thing at the store, what if there’s someone holding up the line, or you run into a chatty friend, or you realize at the last minute you’ve forgotten an item? That “quick trip” can quickly get extended. No matter how much of a hassle it may be to unbuckle the car seat, don’t put your child’s life at risk.

Practicing a little extra awareness can be the difference between a fatal accident and a safe day out.

Often times, deaths by heatstroke occur when having a child with you is not part of the normal routine. For example, a mother who typically drives an older child to school before dropping baby off at day care asks dad to handle the routine one morning. Baby falls asleep in the back seat, and once the first child has been dropped off, dad makes his way to work, completely forgetting baby was there. Imagining scenarios like this, it is easy to see how this could happen to anyone, even you.

In the near future, we hope to see car seat technology address this concern. New models with integrated sensors that can tell if the car is running will have the ability to alert you if the child is left in the car.

How can this be avoided without a high-tech car seat, though? One simple trick involves adding an extra step to your car seat safety check. Leave a stuffed animal, a toy or something else that reminds you of your child in their car seat when it’s not in use. Any time the child is in the car, move the item to the front seat, where you’ll see it and remember your back seat passenger.

A similar trick involves placing something you know you’ll need to retrieve, like your briefcase or wallet, next to your child’s car seat when they are in the car. This way you can’t leave without noticing your little one.

What if a babysitter or friend is driving your child? Why not set a reminder on your smartphone and check in with them to make sure they’ve arrived at the destination safely and have your child with them. It might seem overbearing at first, but it’s a small chore to take to ensure your kid’s safety.

It’s not always mom or dad’s fault that a child winds up in the car, either. Small children often enter unlocked cars as a place to play — maybe they know that mom’s car out in the driveway has a toy in it they want, but they accidentally lock themselves inside trying to get it. It happens. Keep your vehicle locked if you have small children, and make sure you know where your keys are at all times.

If you see a situation that might put a child in danger taking place, get help immediately. If a child is clearly in danger, the NHTSA advises you to do what’s necessary to ensure the child’s safety — even if it involves breaking a vehicle’s window yourself.

It might seem like these are all very simple things to do, and that’s because they are. If we all make the decision to be a little more aware, lives will be saved, and the issue of children being left in hot cars could go away completely. Isn’t that something worth doing?