AAA Warns Of Hot Car Risks This Week
A heat wave is set to hit central New York this week, with temperatures hitting near or at 90 degrees over the next couple of days.
AAA Northeast is reminding motorists of the increased risk of heatstroke deaths for kids AND pets in cars.
Officials say on a typical 80-degree summer day, the temperatures inside a vehicle can increase by 20 degrees in just 10 minutes and reach 109 degrees in 20 minutes.
They say on hotter days, temperatures in a parked car can reach 120 to 140 degrees and cracking the window has little to no effect.
According to AAA on average, 38 children die in hot cars each year, with 53-percent of deaths caused by a caregiver forgetting the child in the vehicle.
Here are some tips from the U.S Department of Transportation for parents and caregivers to help prevent hot cars deaths.
- Never leave a child in a vehicle unattended — even if the windows are partially open or the engine is running, and the air conditioning is on.
- Make it a habit to check your entire vehicle — front and back — before locking the door and walking away. Train yourself to Park, Look Lock, or always ask yourself. “Where’s The Baby.”
- Ask your childcare provider to call if your child doesn’t show up for care as expected.
- Place a personal item like a purse or briefcase in the back seat, as another reminder to look before you lock. Write a note or place a stuffed animal in the passenger's seat to remind you that a child is in the back seat.
- Store car keys out of a child's reach and teach children that a vehicle is not a play area.
AAA says this year, there have already been at least 10 pediatric deaths across the country.
AAA is urging anyone who finds a child or pet alone in a locked car to call 911 and take action to remove the passenger immediately.