There’s nothing more important to us than helping to keep your little one safe. That’s why we’re calling attention to three tips that can help you protect your child against pediatric vehicular heatstroke:
Once you park, Stop. Look. Lock.
These three tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) could save a child’s life:
- NEVER leave a child in a vehicle unattended. Heatstroke can happen even on a relatively cool, 60° F day. A vehicle can reach a dangerous temperature in as little as 10 minutes.
- Make it a habit to look in the backseat EVERY time you exit the car. Keep an item in the back – like a teddy bear. Put the bear up front with you when your child is in their car seat to serve as a reminder. Or, put an item that you regularly bring with you in the back seat, like a purse or briefcase. Do this all the time, even if your child is not traveling with you, so you get into the habit of always checking the back seat.
- ALWAYS lock the car and put the keys out of reach. Teach your children to never play in a vehicle. Even if you don’t have a child of your own, a child in the neighborhood could get into an unlocked vehicle, with tragic consequences.
What is pediatric vehicular heatstroke?
Pediatric vehicular heatstroke occurs when a child’s core body temperature reaches about 104° degrees. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a child’s body heats up three to five times faster than an adult's does. In addition, a vehicle interior can heat up by 20° F in just 10 minutes. Cars heat up fast, even when the outside temperature is as low as 60° F! Sadly, vehicular heatstroke kills children every year, often when caregivers unintentionally leave their children behind in the backseat of their vehicle.
For additional resources, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Consider a car seat with SensorSafe™ technology
Many Evenflo car seats can help prevent pediatric vehicular heatstroke with integrated SensorSafe technology, which sends real-time alerts to your mobile phone via Bluetooth. You’ll receive an alert if you step away from a child buckled inside the vehicle — a 3-tiered alert system informs your pre-set contacts if you don’t respond. SensorSafe monitors the temperature inside the car and sends alerts if the temperature rises above 95° F (or below 45° F). SensorSafe also alerts you if the child becomes unbuckled or has been seated for over 2 hours, reminding you it’s time to take a break.
Pediatric vehicular heatstroke, while scary, is easily preventable. Take the necessary precautions this summer and you may save a child’s life. Remember: Once you park, Stop. Look. Lock.