As the temperatures rise, the Montreal Children’s Hospital is making sure parents remember the dangers of leaving children in the car alone.
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“Even if a window is rolled down two inches, when the outside temperature is in the low 20-degree Celsius, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach deadly levels in only 10 minutes,” the hospital said.
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When left in a hot vehicle, a young child’s body temperature can increase three to five times faster than an adult.
“High body temperatures can cause permanent injury or even death,” the hospital states.
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Here are a few tips to make sure you don’t forget your children in the car this summer:
- Make a habit of looking in the vehicle — front and back — before locking the door and walking away.
- Always place an item (purse, bag, etc.) in the backseat, so you have to open the door every time you leave the vehicle.
- When you arrive at your destination, avoid any distractions, including talking on the phone or texting, while you exit your car.
- Make sure your childcare provider knows to call you if your child has not been dropped off at the usual time.
- Keep a large stuffed animal in your child’s car seat when it is not occupied. When your child is in the seat, put the stuffed animal in the front passenger seat. This is a visual reminder: any time the stuffed animal is in the front seat, you know your child is in the back seat.
If you see a child alone in a vehicle, call 911.
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If the child appears to be in distress due to the heat, get them out as quickly as possible and try to cool their body temperature.
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