Parents warned about hot car dangers

• Tweet

WASHINGTON, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- About half the children who die in hot cars in the United States were left by parents or other caregivers who forgot about them, an advocacy group says.

Safe Kids Worldwide said another 30 percent of the deaths occurred when children locked themselves in cars or car trunks while playing. In other cases, parents left a child in a closed car, not realizing how hot the interior can get and how vulnerable young bodies are to the high temperatures.

The group said anyone chauffeuring young children needs to be conscious of the danger of forgetting about them. One strategy is to put essential items in the back seat with the child.

Car owners should make sure vehicles and trunks are locked when unattended. The group said children should never be left alone in cars for even the shortest period.

While this summer's high temperatures appear to be contributing to a large number of child deaths, Kids Safe said temperatures in a closed car on a sunny day quickly rise to about 20 degrees hotter than on the outside. Leaving a window cracked has little effect.