Over the past 25 years, more than 950 children have died of heatstroke because they were left or became trapped in a hot car, according to NHTSA.gov. It’s important for everyone to understand that children are more vulnerable to heatstroke and that all hot car deaths are preventable.
While the full scope of the fatalities of children due to heatstroke in vehicles is not fully known, NHTSA and other safety advocates and academic institutions have recognized the safety threat heatstroke poses for young children left in hot cars. Together, the Federal Government, automakers, car seat manufacturers, health and safety advocates, consumer groups, and others are working together to tackle this important safety issue.
Know the Facts
- A child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s. When a child is left in a vehicle, that child’s temperature can rise quickly – and the situation can quickly become dangerous.
- Heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches around 104 degrees.
- A child can die when their body temperature reaches 107 degrees.
- In 2022, 33 children died of heatstroke in vehicles.*
*According to national data.