PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT from the NC Department of Insurance
Each year children, pets, seniors and people with disabilities tragically die from heatstroke after being left in hot vehicles.
This summer has been hotter than normal in North Carolina, and it only takes a few minutes for temperatures inside your car to reach dangerous levels. It is an important reminder that leaving a child, vulnerable adult or pet unattended in a car, even for a few minutes, can be more dangerous than people realize.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that, on average, 37 children in the U.S. lose their lives each year after being left alone in hot vehicles. In just 10 minutes, the interior of a car can rise by 20 degrees—creating a dangerously lethal environment.
In 2024, 39 children died from vehicular heatstroke, one from North Carolina. Fifty-three children died in both 2018 and 2019, the highest on record.
Twelve children died in the first half of this year. One of those children was a 7-month-old girl who died in Hamlet.
Just last week in North Carolina, a child was taken to the hospital after being left in a hot car in Greensboro and a dog died in Moore County while trying to escape another hot car. And last year, a man in Johnston County was charged with manslaughter after a man with special needs he was the caretaker for was found dead in a hot vehicle.
These deaths are largely preventable. We must take every possible precaution to avoid such unnecessary tragedies.
Here are some important safety tips to help you remember to never leave a child alone in a car. It’s called the ACT method, an acronym for Avoid, Create, and Take action.
- Avoid heatstroke related injuries and deaths by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even for a minute. Make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not inside so kids can’t get inside on their own.
- Create reminders. Keep a stuffed animal or something in your child’s car seat when it’s empty and move it to the front seat when your child is in the car. That gives you a visual reminder when your child is in the back seat. Place something that you’ll need to take with you, such as your cell phone, briefcase or purse, in the back seat when traveling with your child.
- Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations
Employing these safe practices will keep older adults, children and pets safe during the summer months.