MONTEREY COUNTY — May 1 marked National Heatstroke Prevention Day, and the Monterey County Health Department’s Public Health Bureau is reminding parents and caregivers to always “look before you lock” when leaving a vehicle.
The annual “Look Before You Lock” campaign aims to raise awareness about the dangers of vehicular heatstroke, which is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children 14 and younger in the United States. On average, 37 children die each year in the U.S. from vehicular heatstroke, according to national safety data.
“Parents and caregivers think this sort of tragedy could never happen to them,” said Julia Muruato, Monterey County Child Passenger Safety Program supervisor. “These tragedies are 100% preventable. We’re reminding everyone to look before you lock, always secure your vehicle, and keep keys out of children’s reach. If you see a child alone in a vehicle, act immediately. Quick action saves lives.”
Officials emphasized that hot cars can become deadly quickly. Vehicle interior temperatures can rise up to 50 degrees higher than outside temperatures in a short period of time. Because a child’s body temperature increases three to five times faster than an adult’s, even mild outdoor conditions can create life-threatening heat inside a parked car.
The county also noted that toddlers and young children sometimes climb into vehicles on their own and become trapped. Incidents involving children gaining access to vehicles and being unable to exit account for nearly one-quarter of hot car deaths.
Public health officials urged families to adopt several safety habits, including checking the back seat every time they leave a vehicle, placing an essential item such as a purse, phone or wallet in the back seat as a reminder, and always locking vehicles with keys kept out of children’s reach. They also encouraged caregivers to teach children that vehicles are not play areas.
Anyone who sees a child alone in a hot vehicle and appearing distressed or unresponsive should call 911 immediately. Warning signs of heatstroke in children include red, hot and either moist or dry skin; lack of sweating; rapid or weak pulse; nausea; confusion; or unusual behavior.
More information on vehicle-related heatstroke prevention is available through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website nhtsa.gov/campaign/heatstroke. Funding for the campaign was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
