Look before you lock: Protect children from summer heat Published June 1, 2012 By 72nd Air Base Wing Safety Office Tinker Public Affairs TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- On average, 38 children die in hot cars each year from heat-related deaths after being trapped inside motor vehicles. Even the best of parents or caregivers can overlook a sleeping baby in a car; and the end result can be injury or even death. In well over 50 percent of these cases, the person responsible for the child's death unknowingly left them in the vehicle. Thirty-one percent of hyperthermia deaths involve children under the age of one year. A child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's. Even with the windows partially down, the temperature inside a parked car can reach 125 degrees in just minutes. Leaving the windows opened slightly does not significantly slow the heating process or decrease the maximum temperature attained. There are several factors that contribute to children being inadvertently forgotten by care givers. Paramount is the fact that our brains are not keeping up with the demands of our busy lives. The most common factors include a change in one's normal routine, lack of sleep, stress, fatigue, distractions and hormone changes. When these factors combine, the ability for the brain to multi-task is diminished. As parents know, life with newborns and small children is full of stress, sleep deprivation and distractions. And young children, especially babies, often fall asleep in their car seats; becoming quiet, unobtrusive little passengers. And sadly, for babies with rear-facing seats, the seat looks the same from the front seat -- whether occupied or not The most dangerous mistake a parent or caregiver can make is to think it cannot happen to them or their family. Tips for anyone who transports children: · Never leave children alone in or around cars; not even for a minute. · Put something you'll need like your cell phone, handbag, employee ID or brief case, etc., on the floor board in the back seat. · Get in the habit of always opening the back door of your vehicle every time you reach your destination to make sure no child has been left behind. "Look Before You Lock" · Keep a large stuffed animal in the child's car seat when it's not occupied. When the child is placed in the seat, put the stuffed animal in the front passenger seat. It's a visual reminder that any time the stuffed animal is up front you know the child is in the back seat in a child safety seat. · Keep vehicles locked at all times; even in the garage or driveway. · Keys or remote openers should never be left within reach of children. · When a child is missing, check vehicles and car trunks immediately. · If you see a child alone in a vehicle, get involved. If they are hot or seem sick, get them out as quickly as possible. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. · Use drive-thru services when available. (restaurants, banks, pharmacies, dry cleaners, etc.) · Use your debit or credit card to pay for gas at the pump.