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Summer brings long days of play and adventure, but staying vigilant about children's safety around windows, vehicles, and water is crucial.

“Accidents can happen in an instant, and precautions can prevent tragedies,” said Susan Petersen, MD, an Intermountain Health family medicine physician at St. Vincent Regional Hospital in Billings, Montana. “Always supervise kids near water, ensure windows are secure, and teach them about car safety – and never leave a child unattended in a car."

Intermountain Health treats children for injuries from falling out of open windows at their homes, for heatstroke after being left alone in cars on hot days, and for near-drownings in swimming pools, lakes and even bathtubs every year. 

Window Safety: Open 4 Inches or Less

Each year, thousands of children are injured from falling out of home windows in the United States

Windows open more than 4 inches can be a hidden fall hazard for children, as window screens can pop out even with a little bit of pressure from a child’s hand. The best way to keep children safe from window falls is to remember the 4-Inch rule. We should open our home windows no more than 4 inches to prevent falls.

Never Leave a Child in a Car – Even for a Second

The temperature inside a vehicle can heat up by 20 degrees in 20 minutes and become deadly on summer days. 

Every year, nearly 40 children across the country die after being left in a hot vehicle. Many more have suffered heatstroke and other injuries in close calls. A child’s body temperature can increase 3-5 times faster than an adult’s. Cracking a window has very little effect on the temperature inside the car.

“A child’s body temperature can increase 3-5 times faster than an adult’s,” explained Dr. Petersen. “Cracking a window has very little effect on the temperature inside the car.”  

Hot car tragedies often happen when an unattended child gains access to a vehicle, or a caretaker forgets a child is in the car, often due to fatigue or change of routine.

Here are ways you can prevent hot-car injuries:

• Always look in the back seat before getting out of your vehicle.
• Keep vehicles locked and keys out of the reach of children so they can’t get inside.
• Never leave your child alone in a vehicle – even for a few minutes.
• Keep a visual reminder that a child is with you, like a stuffed animal, in the seat next to you.
• Place something you’ll need when you arrive at your destination, like your phone or bag, cell in the back seat. That way, when you reach for the item, you’ll likely see the child.
• If a child is missing, quickly check all vehicles, including the trunk.
• Call police or 911 if you see a child left alone in a car.

Water Safety: Borrow a Life Jacket and Appoint a Water-Watcher

When it comes to keeping kids safe in water, nothing compares to adult supervision, Dr. Petersen said.  Fitting children with a Coast Guard-approved life jacket at the pool or open water is the next best thing to prevent accidental drowning.

Here are some ways keep young children safe around water:

• Never leave a child unattended in a bathtub, even for a second.
• Appoint a “water watcher” to supervise children without distraction. Take shifts and create a visual cue, like a lanyard or silly hat, so everyone knows who’s watching.
• Fully drain kiddie pools and buckets and turn them upside down when not in use.
• Ensure the whole family learns to swim.
• Have children wear Coast Guard-approved life jackets – not water wings, which can deflate or fall off a child’s arms.
• Enclose pools and hot tubs with self-closing and locking gates.
• Teach children to stay away from water while hiking or camping.
• If a child is missing, always check nearby water first.
• If a child falls into rushing water, call 911. Don’t jump in after them.
• Learn CPR.

“Ensuring proper supervision and teaching children about safety can prevent tragic incidents,” said Dr. Petersen. “By taking these precautions, we can help ensure a happy and safe summer for all.”

For more information, visit primarychildrens.org/safety.