With the temperatures starting to rise as we head into summer, Kentucky State Police is sending a plea to parents and caregivers with ‘Keeping Kids Cool’, a statewide initiative to provide awareness about leaving children in hot cars. State Police says it may seem like common sense, but statistics show that these deaths are continuing to happen across the United States.
According to the National Safety Council, 52 children died in 2019 of vehicular heatstroke, and Kentucky accounted for two of those. State Police say one child in Texas has already died this year from being left in a hot car. Since 1998, statistics show there have been 850 child-related vehicular heatstroke deaths nationwide.
KSP spokesman Sergeant Josh Lawson says the most common reason children are left in a hot car is the parent or caregiver forgets they are there. He adds a majority of parents are misinformed and like to believe they could never “forget” about their child.
Lawson went on to say that it can be a matter of minutes before a child is in distress from being left in a car. He adds temperatures can rise 19 degrees in 10 minutes inside a vehicle. He says when you combine that with a warm-weather day and the facts that a child’s body heats up 3-5 times faster than an adult, you have a recipe for disaster.
Kentucky passed the “Bryan’s Law” in 2000 which makes a person liable for second-degree manslaughter or first-degree wanton endangerment for leaving a child younger than eight years of age in a motor vehicle where circumstances pose a grave risk of death. State Police say the law was named after 11-month old Bryan Pucket who died in July 1999 after begin left in a hot car by his babysitter.
Lawson officer the following safety tips:
- Look before you lock. Make this a priority and a habit.
- Never leave a child in an unattended car, even with the windows down.
- Make it a habit of opening the rear door of the car every time you park to ensure no one is left inside.
- To enforce this habit, place an item that you can’t start your day without such as a purse, briefcase, employee badge, phone, etc.
- When at home, keep your vehicle locked at all times, even in the garage.
- Never leave keys within reach of children.
- If a child is missing, immediately check the inside, floorboards, and trunk of all vehicles in the area.
Kentucky State Police ask everyone to keep an eye out for children left in vehicles on hot days and to call 911 if you see an unaccompanied child in distress.
