Hot Car Deaths Reach Record High In July

The number of children across the US who have died of heatstroke when left in hot cars was at a record high at the end of July.

This year, 29 children have died of heatstroke after being left in a hot vehicle. This is more than previous years.

The central nervous system is not fully developed in children, which makes their little bodies less able to cope with temperature changes. This is the same reason why Children have difficulty remaining hydrated A child’s core body temperature can rise five times more quickly than that of an adult.

So when body temperature rises, heatstroke may occur.

Richard Blumenthal and Al Franken introduced legislation this week which will require all new passenger vehicles to be equipped with a child safety alert system. The technology alerts drivers if a child is left in the back seat once the car is turned off.

The Helping Overcome Trauma for Children Alone in Rear Seat Act (HOT CARS Act) is envisioned to prevent heatstroke deaths when children are left alone in vehicles.