August 3, 2006

Kids in hot cars

With hot weather upon us, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind parents and caregivers that children, as well as pets, should never be left alone in a hot car.

Every year many parents make the unfortunate mistake of leaving children inside a car on a hot day while running a quick errand. The results are usually devastating.

According to the latest research from the National SAFE KIDS campaign, at least 25 children die each year after being left in a hot car. On a warm day, the temperature inside a closed vehicle can quickly rise to 120 to 140 degrees, leading to heat stroke and death in young kids. Rolling down a window or parking in the shade doesn’t guarantee protection either, because temperatures can still climb into the danger zone.

Running the air conditioner while away is no guarantee that the car will stay cool. Air conditioner units have been known to overheat car engines and fail in the summer months. Warm air is then blown into the car, compounding the heat. At the same time, leaving a running car with a small child inside is a disaster in itself waiting to happen.

Even if you are going into a store for just a couple of minutes, do not leave children, or pets, unattended in a hot car.