HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — On days that seem almost mild, as well as on summer days of scorching heat, the inside of a car can turn into an oven, with potentially deadly consequences. "With this kind of heat and even the heat we're in right now, nobody or no person, regardless of age, should be left in a car that is not running and not in a movement type situation," Don Webster, Community Relations Officer for HEMSI shares. "When we're talking about children, we see these terrible stories about children, infants being left, and we never leave our cell phones so put your cell phone back in the back seat with little Bobby or Susie."
In the confined space of a car, temperatures can climb so rapidly that they overwhelm a person’s ability to regulate his or her internal temperature. In a closed environment, the body, especially a small body, can go into shock quickly, and circulation to vital organs can fail. "The major illness of the heat and that is a life threat is a disease called heat stroke, a disease that occurs when your core body temperature rises above 100 at 104 to 105 degrees. Your mental status is altered and that is a medical emergency," Dr. Walter Schrading, the Director of the Office of Wilderness Medicine at the University of Alabama-Birmingham shares.
Extreme heat affects infants and small children more quickly and dramatically than adults because of their size. Their core temperature can increase three to five times faster than that of an adult. "The more humid it is, the more likely you are to get heat stroke, because humidity removes one of the body's main mechanisms for dissipating heat, and that's to evaporate," Schrading continues.
An average of 37 deaths take place per year in the United States. The majority were age three or younger.
Hot car safety tips
1. Never leave a child or a pet in a hot car
Parked cars get hot, but you might not realize that a car’s interior temperature can rise 20 degrees in 10 minutes. Leaving the windows cracked or rolled down does not slow heat acceleration nor cool the interior, especially on wind-free days.
Your dog also doesn’t feel the heat like you. A dog’s body naturally conserves heat. Dogs only have sweat glands on the pads of the feet and the nose. These aren’t enough to cool their total body mass on hot days. The only innate cooling mechanism your dog has is panting. According to PetMD, if a dog breathes in hot air, especially if he is panting, it doesn’t take long for brain and organ damage to occur due to heat stroke. A dog can experience heat stroke when its body temperature rises as little as 3.5 degrees. Learn how to keep your dog safe in hot weather.
2. Put something you’ll need in the back seat
Stressed, sleep-deprived, and distracted parents are more likely to rely on the part of the brain that stores habit formation known as procedural memory or your basic autopilot function. On autopilot, you are forgetful and reactive rather than proactive and sharp.
After loading your family into the car, place an object you’ll need on arrival in the back — perhaps your wallet, purse, or cell phone. This method will guarantee a thorough car check after parking while turning your autopilot into a tool to prevent hot car deaths.
3. Store keys out of reach of little hands
Don’t underestimate a child’s capacity to play grown-up or to hide. Keep car keys secure in a high location, away from little hands. You don’t want your children entering your vehicle for any reason without your knowledge.
4. Keep the air running to stay cool in a hot car
The number one tip for how to stay cool is not to let the car get hot in the first place! When running around with the gang on hot days, consider using the drive-through for banking and pharmacy pick-up services. If your car has air conditioning, you can keep it cool; if it doesn’t, keeping the car moving with the windows down will help keep it from heating up. It can also help to arrange your schedule, so you aren’t out during the hottest part of the day.
5. Drive with another adult on hot days
When possible, use the buddy system. That way, one adult is always available to watch pets and children in your car while the air conditioner runs, minimizing the dangers of a hot car. Remember that you don’t need to be parked for your car to get dangerously hot, either. The car can heat up if the windows are closed, and the sun is out. If you’re going to be taking long road trips in the heat, bring plenty of water and ensure your AC and other car systems are working.