If you’re tempted to leave your baby in the car while you do a fast errand, you’re not alone. According to one survey, 14 percent of parents have done this exact thing.[1] But the act could be deadly, as car temperatures can soar to dangerously high levels in just a few minutes.
Read on for more about how this tragedy can occur, what happens when children are left inside hot cars and some tips you can use to prevent this nightmare from ever happening to you.
Why do parents leave kids in the car?
Leaving your child unattended in the car — just for a short while — may seem innocent enough. Picture this scenario: You’ve been cooped up all day with a cranky baby and you really need to hit the store for some groceries for dinner. You buckle up your little one for the short trip, but when you get there, she’s sound asleep. It’ll take no time to grab the things you need, so why not leave her sleeping in the car seat?
In a perfect world, the car doesn’t heat up enough to harm the baby, and the story ends with the parent’s swift return. But this outcome is in no way guaranteed. Leaving children in a car for any length of time is very risky and should never be attempted.
Sometimes, however, parents leave a baby or toddler in a parked car by accident. In fact, an over two-decade review of pediatric car deaths found that the majority of fatal heatstroke cases (53 percent) happened when a caregiver had forgotten the child.[2] Factors that can contribute to this forgetfulness include a change in routine, fatigue, stress and other distractions.
Accidentally leaving a child in a car can sometimes be chalked up to your brain not being focused on the baby being there with you. This can happen because she's in the back in a rear-facing car seat and maybe even fell asleep so she's not making any noise.
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This can also occur when a parent follows her normal routine as if on auto-pilot, not realizing that something is different. (For example, it was her turn to drop the baby off at day care.) According to specialists, this is more likely to occur when a parent is very tired or under stress.
What happens when a child is left in a hot car?
Every year dozens of children, most under the age of 3, die after being left — usually sleeping — inside the car seat of a vehicle. When left alone in a car, kids can contract heatstroke, which is defined as a core body temperature of greater than or equal to 104 degrees Fahrenheit accompanied by central nervous system dysfunction. Heatstroke is among the leading causes of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths of children, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).[3]
While these car deaths typically happen in the summer and hot climates, NHTSA notes that your car can surpass 110 degrees F even when outside temperatures are as low as the 60s. A car becomes like an oven, rising nearly 20 degrees F in 10 minutes. In fact, one study found that car interiors can reach 117 degrees F when it’s only 72 degrees F outside. A baby can die when her body temperature reaches 107 degrees F.
And if you think opening the car window can help, you’re mistaken. Cracking the car windows doesn't keep the vehicle’s interior temperature from rising or lower the maximum temperature. Even with the windows left ajar, the temperature inside a car can rise to 125 degrees F in just minutes.
What’s more, kids are especially vulnerable to hot conditions as their bodies absorb more heat quicker than adults’ bodies, and their temperatures rise up to five times faster. And since babies don’t sweat as much as grown-ups, they can’t cool off as easily, leaving them more susceptible to high heat.
Since 1990, 54 percent of heatstroke deaths in cars occurred in children 1 year old or younger.[4] This may be because it’s hard to tell from the driver’s vantage point whether a rear-facing car seat is occupied or empty.
Is it illegal to leave your child in the car?
Yes, in some parts of the country it’s illegal to leave your child alone in a parked car, while in other areas, proposed laws against the practice are in the works. Although the laws vary state by state, here are the 20 states where it’s currently unlawful to leave your children in a car unattended:[5]
- Alabama
- California
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- Oklahoma
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Washington
How you can protect your child
There are several devices marketed to alert parents that there’s a child still in the car. A 2022 study by NHTSA examined many such reminder systems and found that results varied when tested in real-world circumstances.[6]
While some of today's cars flash a message to check the back seats, parents can take additional steps beyond relying on a vehicle's tech features. Safety organizations hope the acronym ACT will help prevent heatstroke deaths in cars:
A: Avoid
Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving your child alone in a car, not even for a minute. Always lock your car when you’re not in it so kids can’t get in on their own, and keep keys and remote entry fobs out of kids’ sight and reach.
C: Create
Create reminders by putting something in the back of your car next to your child — such as a briefcase, purse or cellphone — that you’ll need when you arrive at your final destination. These reminders are especially vital if you’re not following your normal routine when driving your child.
T: Take action
If you see a child alone in a car, take action by calling 911 and following the dispatcher’s instructions.
Here are a few additional tips to reduce the risk of leaving a child behind in a car:
- Set an alarm. If you’re in charge of dropping off your child at day care, school or the sitter’s, create a calendar reminder or set an alarm on your smartphone.
- Ask for a call. Request that your day care, school or sitter call you and/or your partner if your child is not dropped off as usual.
- Tote a stuffed animal. Leave a soft toy in the car seat when your child is not in the car, and then put it in the front seat next to you when the child is in back to remind you she’s there.
- Open the back door. Open the car’s back door every time you reach your destination to get in the habit of checking that you haven’t left your child behind.
As scary as it sounds, keep in mind that hot car deaths are extremely rare and completely preventable. By resisting the temptation to leave your child in a car even for a few minutes and remaining vigilant by setting reminders to check the back seat, your child will ride safely — and won’t be forgotten.
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