Don’t Leave Children or Pets in Hot Cars!

BOISE – BOISE – As temperatures climb in the Gem State, AAA is reminding parents to never leave children or pets unattended in a vehicle.

“A child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult, and temperatures inside a vehicle can rise by more than 20 degrees in as little as 10 minutes,” says AAA Idaho public affairs director Matthew Conde.  “There is no ‘quick errand’ that justifies leaving a kid or a pet in harm’s way.”

With outside temperatures in the 90’s this weekend in many parts of Idaho, temperatures inside a vehicle will easily top 104 degrees – the point at which heatstroke can occur – even if the vehicle is parked in the shade or has the windows cracked.  Death occurs when the body’s core temperature reaches 107 degrees.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 39 children died in hot cars last year, an increase of 35% from the previous year.

“This is a time when many kids are out of school or day care, and the routine for transporting them completely changes,” Conde said.  “Leave your cell phone in the back seat as motivation to turn around and check for children and pets before you exit the vehicle.”

If you see a child unattended in a car, immediately call 911 for further instructions.  If you need to complete a bunch of errands, please make arrangements that don’t involve leaving kids and pets in your car.

AAA urges the public to share this message on social media with friends and loved ones.