HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 900 children have died from heatstroke in cars since 1998. 53% of those deaths were due to children being left behind.
With temperatures rising around the Valley, these incidents are becoming more common. Placing important items like a wallet or purse in the back seat can serve as a reminder, and there are other things parents and caregivers can do to prevent a child from getting locked in a hot car.
“Vehicles can heat up 19 degrees in just 10 minutes. One thing you can do is look before you lock up, you can leave a stuffed animal in the back seat and then move it to the front seat as a visual reminder to check that back seat before you get out of the car,” the Fire Department said. of Harrisonburg. Brianna Petit, child safety seat technician, said.
Petit says that in the event a member of the community comes across a child locked in a car in the heat with no air flow, immediately call 911.
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