Look Before You Lock

In 2023, there were 29 hot car deaths in the U.S., according to the National Safety Council.  From 1998 to 2023, the state of Florida had 110 vehicular heatstroke deaths occur in children, the second highest number in the United States. When hearing this statistic, many parents’ initial reaction is, “that would never happen to me.” 

Unfortunately, most incidents involve a parent or caregiver who forgot their child was in the car with them. They were all preventable with a few tips to remember to look before you lock.

How Does this Happen?

Hot car deaths occur across all socio-economic classes and can happen to anyone. Vehicular heatstroke can occur when the temperature outside is as low as 57 degrees, when your car is parked in the shade or when your window is cracked.

When the sun shines through your car’s windshield, it can warm up your car up to 50 degrees hotter than it is outside, with the biggest rise in temperature happening within the first 30 minutes. Within just the first 10 minutes, a vehicle can heat up by 20 degrees in temperature. 

Children are more vulnerable to vehicular heat stroke than adults: 

• They cannot exit the vehicle on their own.
• Their body temperature heats up three to five times faster than an adult’s.
• They cannot alert others for help.
• Infants cannot regulate their temperature as well as adults.
• Children do not perspire as much as adults and cannot cool their body down. 

Of the deaths that occur from vehicular heatstroke among children, 55% were left unknowingly in the car, 25% had gained access to a car and 15% were left in a car knowingly. 

Tips to Look Before You Lock

Fatigue, stress, changes in your normal routine and more can lead to parents or caregivers to forget their child in the backseat. By adopting habits to remember your child is in the car with you, this can be prevented. 

1. Place an object in the back seat of your vehicle.

•  Putting your purse, wallet or phone in the back seat with the child will force you to look back before exiting your car. 
• Keeping an item in the back seat when your child is not there, like a teddy bear, can also aid as a visual reminder they are with you. 
• Keep the object in your child’s car seat when they are not in it.
• When placing your child in their car seat, take the object to the front of the car with you and place it somewhere visible.
• When you arrive at your destination, return the object back to the car seat when removing your child from their car seat.

2. Set your map app or GPS to your destination.

Many parents easily go on ‘autopilot’ during their daily routine. A change in your routine, such as being the one to drop off your child at childcare, can make it easy to forget your child is with you. By setting it to your destination, even if you know how to get there – like a doctor’s appointment or childcare – your phone or GPS will remind you where you are going so you do not accidentally go to your normal location. 

3. Talk to your child throughout the ride, even if they are an infant. 

By saying aloud where you are going, explaining what you are doing while driving and including your child’s name by speaking, you can remind yourself of your route. 

4. Set an alarm. 

Before leaving, set a phone alarm to go off around the time you expect to arrive at your destination that includes your child’s name. Be sure the alarm sound is different from your normal alarm, so you do not confuse it for something else. 

5. Ask your babysitter or childcare to call you if your child does not arrive as expected.

This safety tip will help ensure your child is not left alone in the car and by having another person ask about your child’s location if they are not on time. 

6. Use technology to your advantage.

Newer cars may have a sensor in the back seat that will alert the driver if it senses someone back there. Be sure to keep this system on and use it to your advantage.

Additionally, there are smartphone apps available to remind you to look in the back seat before leaving, such as the  app. Other safety devices that are affordable and easy to use now exist to help parents remember when their child is with them.

Prevent Children from Getting in Your Car 

The second leading cause of hot car deaths happens when a child gains access to an unlocked vehicle. Children may go into your vehicle if they want something from the car (like a toy), see the car as a place to play or have access to the car keys. To prevent this from happening: 

1. Lock your vehicle when you’re home.

If a child has access to an unlocked vehicle, they may get trapped or overheat before leaving. Even if you do not have a child of your own, a child in your neighborhood could get into your unlocked vehicle.

2. Teach your children to tell an adult when they need something from the car.

Children will sometimes go out to the car to grab a toy. If an adult is not aware, they can spend too long in the car and can overheat in a few minutes. Heatstroke happens when their internal body temperature rises to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. 

3. Make sure your children do not have access to your keys.

By not having access to your car keys, the possibility of your child going into your vehicle when it is locked is reduced.

4. Teach children that cars are not play areas.

Children may see your vehicle as a place to imitate their parents or play hide and seek. By teaching your children cars are not areas to play in, this can prevent them from getting into your car. 

Never Leave Your Child in the Car 

Children can overheat in vehicles with temperatures as low as 57 degrees Fahrenheit outside or with a window cracked. It is important to never leave your child in the car alone, even if you’re running a quick errand. 

Leaving them in the car for five minutes can lead to children getting overheated. Your errand can also take longer than expected due to factors outside your control, so it is not advised to leave your children in the car alone. 

If a Child is Left Alone in the Car 

Florida law states that “a parent, legal guardian, or other person responsible for a child younger than 6 years of age must not leave the child unattended or unsupervised in a motor vehicle for a period in excess of 15 minutes” or “for any period of time if the motor of the vehicle is running, the health of the child is in danger, or the child appears to be in distress.”

A violation of this law is a second-degree misdemeanor and can result in a fine of up to $500. Violations that cause great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement to a child are considered third-degree felonies.

If you see a child, vulnerable adult, or pet locked in a hot car, take immediate action by calling 9-1-1.

This article is provided by Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, a partner of Safe Kids Big Bend. Safe Kids Big Bend is led by Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare, which provides dedicated and caring staff, operation support and other resources to assist in achieving our common goal: keeping your kids safe. Based on the needs of the community, this coalition implements evidence-based programs, such as car-seat checkups, safety workshops and sports clinics, that help parents and caregivers prevent childhood injuries.