Heatstroke Dangers for Children In Cars Is Ever Present

It doesn't matter if it's summer, spring, fall, or the very few days of winter that we experience each year in Louisiana, the temperature inside of a car can shoot up dramatically. The danger grows, the higher the temperatures go up in Louisiana. But, don't let your guard down. Even when it seems okay outside, you shouldn't leave your child in the car. It's always a good idea to remind ourselves of several things we can do to keep our children, and even our pets, safe.

Unfortunately, children die every year after being left in locked cars so it's a good idea to give ourselves a refresher about what we can do to prevent heatstroke and death from happening to any child.

In Louisiana, there are an overwhelming number of months in the year when afternoon temperatures rise above 70 degrees, 80 degrees, and 90 degrees. If you have a thermostat display in your car, you know how hot it gets inside your vehicle. If you don't, just know that within minutes, the inside of your automobile can be much warmer than even the outside scorching temperatures.

According to the Acadiana Regional Transportation Safety Coalition, there were fifty-two deaths of children in automobiles.

Ron Czajikowski is the Acadiana Safety Coordinator, and he says that,

As outside temperatures rise, the risk of children dying from vehicular heatstroke increases. One child dies from heatstroke nearly every ten days in the United State from being left in a car or crawling into an unlocked vehicle. What is most tragic is that every single one of these deaths could have been prevented.

One of the scary statistics that the Acadiana Regional Transportation Safety Coalition says is something people may not know about is that between 1998 and 2018, the state of Louisiana led the nation in the number of fatalities per capita when it comes to children dying of heatstroke. Czajkowski says it is imperative that people keep safety in mind when it comes to their kids and cars. There are a number of things that people need to think through as reminders.

There are several symptoms of heatstroke. If your child has red, hot skin, and they are experiencing a rapid pulse, it could be heatstroke. Always call 911 if you need help. Here are some other things we can keep in mind to prevent a tragedy.