Take the example of a little boy in Phoenix, Arizona, who was playing in a neighbour's abandoned car and got locked in. The temperature outside that day was in the low 90s, but the temperature in the closed car soared to 140 within 10 minutes and he died. Another child went into the garage to play in his farther truck, climbed in and shut the door. He could not open the heavy door to get out and died of heat suffocation.
More tragic are the stories of parents leaving sleeping babies or children in locked cars so they can run into the grocery store and shop without them. When they get back to the car, the kids are dead. In tropical climates such as ours, the temperature is definitely something to keep an eye open for, especially when mornings and afternoons can soar up to 30-40 degrees daily.
Our body temperature can only reach about 107 degrees before we lose consciousness and the body stops functioning. When we are exposed to temperatures above 120 degrees in an enclosed car the body temperature rises and death could happen within minutes. It is very important to never leave your children or pets in an enclosed car in any temperature.
Even in mild weather the temperature in an car with all the windows rolled up can soar to very extreme temperatures.
Here some tips to avoid heat suffocation in a car :
- Never leave your kids or pets in a car with the window rolled up, even for a few minutes
- Don't leave your children in the car if they fall asleep in their seats
- Don't leave your children in the car while you go into a store. This rules goes for animals also.
- Always watch your children and know what they are doing at all times while they are playing outside
- Teach your children not to play in or around cars or in the garage
- Lock your car doors and keep the keys out of the reach of children
- Be aware of old vehicles in the neighbourhood and talk to the owners to get them towed or fixed. If they do not respond, call City Hall to see what you have to do to get the removed.
