These three words that could prevent a child hot car tragedy in NJ

☀️ A hot car can become deadly in minutes, even when outside temperatures don't seem extreme, according to New Jersey safety experts.
👶 Since 1998, more than 1,000 children have died from vehicular heat stroke nationwide, including 16 children in New Jersey.
⚠️ Experts say most tragedies involve human error, not bad parenting, and urge families to remember: Look. Lock. Check.

As summer approaches, New Jersey wants to remind parents and caregivers about the dangers of leaving children in hot cars, which can result in vehicular heat stroke.

More than 1,000 children have died from hot car deaths in the U.S.

Nationally, dozens of kids die each year from vehicular heat stroke, said Doresha Jackson, a trauma injury prevention coordinator at St. Joseph’s Health in Paterson.

More than 1,000 children have died in the U.S. since 1998, including 16 in New Jersey. Most victims are younger than two years old, she said.

Many people always assume a child was left in a car due to negligence, but she said that is not always true. There are generally three ways these incidents can occur.

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“One, a child is unintentionally forgotten in the vehicle. Two, a caregiver knowingly leaves the child in the car for a short errand, and underestimates how dangerous the heat can become, and three, a child gains access to an unlocked vehicle while playing, and gets trapped inside,” Jackson said.

Research shows that over half of these deaths occur when a child is unintentionally forgotten. So, for parents, stress, fatigue, sleep deprivation, and changes in routine can contribute to these situations, she said.

AAA offers tips on how to prevent child hot car deaths this summer (Getty Images/Canva)

Why children are forgotten in cars — and how quickly temperatures turn deadly

What parents and caregivers need to remember is that it does not take long for a car to heat up, potentially putting a child in danger.

“Even on a mild day, the temperature inside a vehicle can rise to deadly levels very quickly. A car can reach over 100 degrees in a matter of minutes even when the outside temperature doesn’t seem extreme,” Jackson said.

Even cracking the windows in a car does very little to prevent the temperature from rising. The inside of a vehicle can essentially become an oven long before people think it’s hot enough to be dangerous, she explained.

“This is not about bad parenting. This is about human memory and human error. That’s why prevention systems are so important,” Jackson said.

Child hot car deaths can be prevented, NJ expert says (Canva)

NJ safety experts urge parents to remember: Look. Lock. Check.

There are only 10 trauma injury coordinators in the state of New Jersey. Jackson, being one of them, says she always encourages parents and caregivers to remember these three simple words: Look. Lock. Check.

• Look in the backseat every time you park.
• Lock the car, even if it’s parked outside of your home
• Check to make sure your child is accounted for.

There are other prevention strategies to follow as well. Jackson suggests leaving a purse, phone, a work badge, or a shoe in the back seat; anything that you need for your day.

Ask a childcare provider to call immediately if a child does not arrive as expected.
Use the rear seat reminder technology if your vehicle is equipped with it.

Never leave a child in a vehicle even for one minute.

Parents should always check the back seat for children before getting out of a car, NJ expert warns (Canva)

What to do if you see a child alone in a hot car

If a passerby happens to see a child alone in a car on a hot day with the windows rolled up, call 911 immediately. Don’t assume someone has called already, Jackson said.

“If a child appears distressed, unresponsive, or in medical danger, act quickly while emergency services are responding. Time always matters because a child’s body temperature rises much faster than us, as adults,” Jackson said.

When in doubt, call 911. It’s better to be wrong than to be too late, she added.

As a Safe Kids Passaic County Coordinator and a Trauma Injury Prevention Coordinator, Jackson encourages families to visit the Safe Kids Resources for seasonal safety information.

Safe Kids provides free education materials, prevention tips, and guidance for families on topics including heat stroke prevention, child passenger safety, and pedestrian and bike safety. All of these things can put people at risk of injury or death.

“The leading cause of death is unintentional injuries for ages 1 to 44, so many local Safe Kids coalitions offer community events, car seat inspections, and family safety education throughout the year.

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