An infant’s or toddler’s body can heat up five times faster than an adult’s. The toddler simply cannot cool down like a parent’s can and therefore it is very dangerous to leave your child in a car for “just a few minutes.” It doesn’t take long for the inside of a car to heat up – like the greenhouse effect – 20 degrees more than the temperature outside. So even if it seems like a pleasant (and rare for the Houston area) 80 degrees outside, the inside of your car could reach to 100 degrees in short time. School has started, errands need to be done and we no longer have to extra hands to help out with the baby. Elzey Insurance would like to share ACT – Avoid, Create reminders, Take action – to help you out!
Remember ACT
- Avoid heat stroke-related injury and death by:
- Never leaving your child alone in the car, even for a minute
- Consistently locking unattended vehicle doors and trunks.
- Create reminders and habits that give you and your child’s caregiver a safety net:
- Establish a peace-of-mind plan. When you drop off your child, make a habit of calling or texting all other caregivers, so all of you know where your child is at all times.
- Place a purse, briefcase, gym bag, cell phone or an item that is needed at your next stop in a back seat.
- Set the alarm on your cell phone or computer calendar as a reminder to drop your child off at childcare.
- Take action if you see an unattended child in a vehicle:
- Dial 911 immediately and follow the instructions that emergency personnel provide – they are trained to determine if a child is in danger.