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(Miami, FL) - Today is National Heatstroke Prevention Day and no amount of time is safe to leave a child in a hot vehicle.
As we approach the summer months, parents are reminded that South Florida is heating up which can be deadly when a child is left in a hot car.
In fact, the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related death for kids is heatstroke from being left in a hot car. Children's bodies have a lesser ability to regulate temperature making them more at-risk for heatstroke than adults.
Highway Safety Specialist, Laura Dunn, says even if the car is parked in the shade with the window cracked, at 60-degrees outside, a child's body temperature can rise to 107 or higher and cause death.
She adds that a change in routine is the most common risk factor for child hot-car-deaths.
Parents are reminded to “Stop. Look. Lock.” to avoiding these tragic preventable deaths. Also, she advises parents to leave a toy in the front seat as a visual cue to remember there's a baby on board.
Florida has had at least 117 child-hot car deaths since 1990.
The NHTSA reminds everyone to stay alert and call 911 if you see a child alone in a hot car. You could save a life.