Recently, Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies rescued a small child from a hot car after the doors wouldn’t open.
Deputies had to break the car’s window to rescue the child and reunite them with their parents. They encourage you to check your locks to make sure they work.
Some cars come equipped with technology to warn you before you get out. “The signal goes on the stuff and says ‘beep beep beep’ – check the back seat,” said Graham Quinn, who is visiting the Valley. “But for something like that in a car just to remind the parents, you know, because sometimes they’re busy and the kids can fall asleep in the back and they forget.”
Quinn told News Channel 3 that he had to use multiple cars when traveling out of town. At some point, he accidentally left his keys in the car. “I couldn’t get into the car. So I had to wait half an hour for a guy to come out with a key to go to him to get me into the car.”
Fortunately, no one was inside. But he said that if it had, it would have been very dangerous. “A little kid in there probably wouldn’t last.”
It’s also a reminder that in triple-digit temperatures, the inside of your car gets even hotter. If it’s 100 degrees outside, it only takes 10 minutes for the inside of your car to reach 119 degrees.
Nicole Holt, a mother of a young child, told News Channel 3 that she is very careful when her child is with her. “We have a little travel fan that we put in her car seat and dress up,” Holt said.
Holt said she takes extra steps to make sure her child is not left in the car unattended. “Normally I don’t like to leave all the doors closed at the same time, just because I get so anxious about it. So I normally keep at least something open at all times.”
Some tips to keep in mind (from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles):
1. Look before you close!
When you get out of your car, ALWAYS open the back door and check the back seat before closing the doors and driving away. Do this every time – even if you are 100% sure your child is not with you. Make it a habit to check.
Tell anyone who will be driving your child to look even before locking it. “It’s really important,” says Arbogast. “Just take a few seconds and do that double check.”
2. Put your purse or phone in the back seat.
This habit forces you to check the back seat before you leave. Just put an item in there that you will need to take with you, such as a bag, purse, phone or employee badge.
3. Talk to your child care provider.
Tell the provider to call you right away if your child does not leave on time.
A sleep-deprived parent who doesn’t normally drop off a child at daycare may drive to work on auto-pilot, completely forgetting the child is with them that day. This has happened to real-life parents—with devastating results. An immediate call from the childcare provider can be a lifesaver.
4. Lock your car at home.
Always keep your car locked, whether it’s on the road, in the driveway or in the garage. Ask visitors, relatives, neighbors and childcare providers to do the same.
In addition, keep the car keys and the remote control opener out of the reach of children.
“This is a big concern right now because more parents are working from home during COVID-19,” explains Arbogast. “You want to make sure a child can’t get into a car while you’re not looking.”
According to KidsandCars.org, many of these tragedies occur when a schedule or routine changes. Busy times and periods of crisis also increase the risk of an accident. Be extra vigilant during these times.
6. Don’t assume you’ll get back right away.
It can be tempting to run into a store “for just a few minutes” to get something while leaving your toddler alone in the car. Don’t do this – ever. (It is illegal in California to leave a child under 6 alone in a car.)
“Kids can overheat very quickly,” says Arbogast. “And you can plan to come in for one or two things and then be late. Never leave your baby or toddler alone in the car, even for a minute, no matter what the temperature is that day.”
According to the advocacy group KidsandCars.org, an average of 39 children die each year from vehicle heatstroke in the U.S. In 2019, 53 children died.
So it’s important to always double or triple check before closing your doors!