Three known deaths have already occurred within the last two weeks in Phoenix, Hampton, VA and in Sussex County, New Jersey where a child was left in a car seat for more than two hours. The temperature outside was 63 degrees. Among parents between the ages of 18 and 24, twice as many contend that it's okay to leave a child alone in a vehicle. When the outside temperature is 93 degrees Fahrenheit, even with a window cracked, the temperature inside a car can reach 125 degrees Fahrenheit in just 20 minutes and approximately 140 degrees in 40 minutes. In these extreme conditions, children can die or suffer permanent disability quickly - in a matter of minutes.
Heat rapidly overwhelms the body's ability to regulate temperature.
In a closed environment, the body can go into shock and circulation to vital organs will begin to fail. The SAFE KIDS survey also found that only 50 percent of parents always lock their cars at home and one out of five parents rarely or never does so. More than a third of the deaths reported last year occurred when children crawled into unlocked cars while playing and perished in the sweltering heat. Unlocked cars pose serious risks to children who are naturally curious and often lack fear. Once they crawl in, they don't have the developmental capability to get out.