Child vehicular heatstroke is 100% preventable, but sadly 19 children have already lost their lives this year.  In fact, 2018 was the deadliest year on record with 52 deaths.  A child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult's. When a child is left in a hot vehicle, that child's temperature can rise in a quick and deadly manner.  In fact, some of these vehicular heatstroke deaths occurred when the outside temperature was less than 70 degrees. We need your help to increase public awareness of the risks associated with leaving a child alone in a vehicle.

We are asking you to remind parents and caregivers to never leave a child in a car, and to empower bystanders to act if they see a child left alone in a car.

NHTSA’s vehicular heatstroke-related content and assets can be found in both English and Spanish at: https://www.nhtsa.gov/heatstroke

Help increase awareness and prevent vehicular heatstroke by: 

• On or before July 31^st:  Post and Share the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) heatstroke prevention materials.
  • Consider sending messages and assets to your members via email and other channels.
    • Encourage your members and partners to share and retweet content.

• Throughout the Summer: Post assets and messages to your social media channels and participating in upcoming social media events.

• Participate in our Social Media Tweet-ups, on July 31 and August 20.  For more information, more information can be found on the attached flyer.
• Consider hosting a Heatstroke-focused “Social Media Takeover” of your social media channels on July 31^st, with scheduled periodic content pushed out throughout the summer.
• Share our new video demonstrating how quickly a vehicle can heat up, featuring NHTSA Deputy Administrator Heidi King.

As part of this effort, please remind parents, caregivers and bystanders of these key safety tips:

EIGHT SIMPLE SUGGESTIONS TO PREVENT HEATSTROKE DEATHS.

1. Never leave a child in a vehicle unattended—even if the windows are partially open or the engine is running, and the air conditioning is on
2. Make a habit of looking in the vehicle—front and back—before locking the door and walking away
3. Ask the childcare provider to call if the child doesn’t show up for care as expected
4. Place your purse or briefcase in the back seat to ensure your child isn't accidentally left in the vehicle
5. Write a note or place a stuffed animal in the passenger's seat to remind you that a child is in the vehicle
6. Teach children that a vehicle is not a play area and store keys out of a child's reach
7. If you see a child alone in a locked car, get them out immediately and call 911
8. A child in distress due to heat should be removed from the vehicle as quickly as possible and rapidly cooled