There have been more and more cases in the news of children being inadvertently being left in vehicles or who have gotten into a vehicle on their own in this blistering summer heat. The result of this can be traumatic for children, and in many cases, even deadly. Vehicular heatstroke tragedies seem to be happening far too often, and they change the lives of parents, families, and even communities.

Statistics continue to climb in numbers of these tragedies happening, and Roosevelt General Hospital has begun a campaign called “Look Before You Lock” to help remind parents and others transporting kids in vehicles to check them before locking the doors and leaving a helpless child unattended in the heat.

With a child’s body overheating at 3-5 times faster than that of an adult, their heatstroke danger level is reached much more quickly. In 2017, there were 43 child vehicular fatalities in the U.S. This rate is higher than any other year, and most of those deaths were children over the age of 1 year.

KidsAndCars.org did a study showing that most incidences where vehicular heatstroke occurred, a loving, responsible parent unknowingly left their child in the car for too long.

These tragic deaths can happen to any family, but they are preventable. Below are some simple tips that parents and caregivers can follow to prevent heat stroke tragedies.

  • “LookBeforeYouLock”‐ Get in the habit of always opening the back door to check in the backseat before leaving your vehicle. Make sure no child has been left behind.
  • Create a reminder to check the back seat.
  • Put something you’ll need like your cell phone, handbag, employee ID or brief case, etc., in the back seat so that you have to open the back door to retrieve that item every time you park.
  • Keep a large stuffed animal in the child’s car seat. When the child is placed in the car seat, place the stuffed animal in the front passenger seat. It’s a visual reminder that the child is in the back seat.
  • Make sure you have a strict policy in place with your childcare provider about daycare drop‐off. Everyone involved in the care of your child should always be aware of their whereabouts. If your child will not be attending daycare as scheduled, it is the parent’s responsibility to call and inform the childcare provider. If your child does not show up as scheduled; and they have not received a call from the parent, the childcare provider pledges to contact you immediately to ensure the safety of your child. (this is very similar to the ‘absence telephone line’ used by most elementary, middle and high schools)
  • Keep vehicles locked at all times, even in driveways or garages. Ask home visitors, child care providers, and neighbors to do the same.
  • Keep car keys and remote openers out of reach of children.
  • Never leave children alone in or around cars; not even for a minute.
  • If a child goes missing, immediately check the inside passenger compartments and trunks of all vehicles in the area very carefully, even if they are locked. A child may lock the car doors after entering a vehicle on their own, but may not be able to unlock them.
  • If you see a child alone in a vehicle, get involved. Call 911 immediately. If the child seems hot or sick, get them out of the vehicle as quickly as possible.
  • Be especially careful during busy times, schedule changes and periods of crisis or holidays. This is when many tragedies occur.
  • Use drive‐thru services when available (restaurants, banks, pharmacies, dry cleaners, etc.) and pay for gas at the pump.

Taking simple precautions like these can prevent a heartbreaking tragedy.

Please share this information with your friends, family, and childcare providers. Awareness and proper precautions are the only way to prevent a tragedy.

Look Before You Lock!