Never Leave An Infant or Child Alone In A Car…Not Even For A Minute

Left alone in a vehicle, even for a short time, a child is in danger of dehydration, injury or abduction

At no time during the year should parents or others who transport children leave them alone in a car, not even for a minute. We all lead hectic lives. Parents are busy trying to run errands and get everything done in little or no time, but we must stop and think about what is really important—the baby, the child and his or her safety and well-being, no matter how stressful the day, the child must always come first.

During the warm spring, summer and fall months, children left alone in or around cars are at a higher risk of suffering from heat stroke. On a 70-degree day, even with car windows slightly rolled down, the temperature inside a car can exceed 120 degrees in 20 minutes and 150 degrees in 40 minutes. Infants and toddlers are most susceptible to heat-related vehicle injuries, with 82 percent of fatalities occurring among children age 3 and under, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control.

Last summer, a Massachusetts mother left her 2-month-old son and 2-year-old daughter in the car while she went into a store. One of the children passed out from the heat inside the car, but passersby were able to get both children out of the car before the damage was irreversible.