As extreme temperatures continue, the consumer protection division of the New York State Department warns the community about the danger that children and pets face when left in hot cars.
Every year, multiple deaths are reported after children and pets have been left in a hot vehicle. The heat stroke or death due to exposure to heat in cars occurs more frequently when an adult involuntarily forgets a child or a pet, which may be calm or sleeping in a back -oriented seat.
Children can also get access without supervision to parked cars and get trapped inside, especially if children’s security locks are set.
There is a real and severe danger in extreme weather and even when temperatures do not “feel” hot. At 60 degrees outside, after only an hour, a closed car can be heated up to 105 degrees.
“With extreme temperatures forecast for New York State in the next few days, leaving a child or a pet in a negligible vehicle can quickly become a tragedy,” said Secretary of State, Walter T. Mosley.
«In a matter of minutes, the temperature inside a parked car can become deadly, and the highest temperatures make the situation even more serious. I urge all New Yorkers to take all precautions to keep their loved ones insurance during this dangerous heat wave and always remember checking the rear seat before leaving the car ».
Tragically, at least 1125 children have died throughout the country due to a pediatric vehicle heat stroke since 1990. Fourteen of these deaths occurred in the state of New York. In 2024, deaths nationwide increased 35% compared to 2023.
According to the organization people for the ethical treatment of animals (PETA), every year many pets die of heat exhaustion because they stay in parked vehicles. Only in 2024, 111 animals died due to deaths related to heat and another 388 were rescued from heat.
Any person who is declared responsible for leaving a child or a mascot alone in a hot car could face criminal charges.
Child safety tips
– Never leave a child in a unattended vehicle in a warm climate or under direct sunlight, not even with slightly open or low windows, due to the risk of insolation (hyperthermia).
– If he sees a unattended child in a car on a warm or sunny day, or a unattended child who seems distressed or does not respond, call 911 immediately and follow his instructions. Emergency personnel are trained to respond.
– Teach children not to play inside or around vehicles and warn an adult when a friend is playing in a vehicle without supervision. Make sure children understand the dangers of entrapment in the trunk (suffocation, insolation, etc.).
– Place something you need, such as keys, a bag or your cell phone, next to your child’s security seat so you remember the rear of the car before closing the car. Alternatively, place a stuffed animal in your child’s seat when he is not in use and move the toy to the front seat when his son is in his seat as a reminder that his son is inside the vehicle.
– Use driving services whenever possible while driving with a child in a vehicle.
– It is vital to recognize the symptoms of heat stroke in children. Symptoms include absence of sweat, confusion, disorientation, blushing skin, loss of alertness, unconsciousness or rapid/superficial breathing.
Pet safety tips
– Never leave a disregarded pet in the car in warm climates or direct sunlight. Like children, dogs and other animals have more difficulty staying fresh, which leaves them extremely vulnerable to insolation.
– A car can overheat even when the window has been cracked an inch or two. Parking in the shade or leaving water in the vehicle will not prevent your pet from overheating.
– According to the American society for the prevention of cruelty towards animals (ASPCA), young animals, overweight or older or those with short buzales or thick or dark coats have a greater risk of overheating.
– If you see a disregarded pet in a car on a warm or sunny day, or that seems to be distressed, call 911 immediately.
– Recognize the symptoms of the heat blow in the pets and take measures if you see them. Symptoms include restlessness, intense gasp, vomiting, lethargy and lack of appetite or coordination.
