Kids and Car Safety

As part of National Safety Month the National Safety Council is cautioning parents that cars can be extremely dangerous for children even when they’re in park.

Council experts note that last year as many as 43 children died after developing heatstroke inside a vehicle. In fact, children overheat 4 times more quickly than adults which means that even moderately warm weather can fast turn a closed vehicle into a life-threatening situation.

To avoid tragedy, the Council advises parents never to leave their child alone in a parked car and to routinely lock up after leaving to prevent accidental reentry. Most importantly parents should always make a point of checking that their car is truly empty before walking away. Storing key items… such as wallets, purses, or phones in the car’s rear can help serve as car-check reminders.

And if and when an adult spots a child left alone in a locked car, the experts say dial 911 immediately to make sure that help is on the way.

I’m Dr. Cindy Haines of HealthDay TV with the news doctors are reading health news that matters to you.