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With triple-digit and record-breaking temperatures expected in Utah this week, Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital safety experts are issuing a reminder to parents to never leave a child in a vehicle – even for a minute – to prevent unintended injury or even death.
“Even when it’s not that warm outside in the early morning, the insides of cars heat up quickly and can present a serious hazard for children,” said Jessica Strong, community health manager at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. “Everyone must remain vigilant to never leave a child alone in a car for any amount of time to prevent a tragedy.”
About 40 children across the country die each year after being left in a hot vehicle. In Utah, 13 children have died in hot vehicles since 1990, and others have suffered injuries in “close calls.”
Last year was one of the lowest years for heat stroke deaths with 25 deaths nationwide. In Utah, no hot car deaths were reported in 2020, the year of COVID-19 pandemic closures.
“My speculation is that with fewer people driving, and more parents working from home, there were fewer opportunities to leave children in cars, resulting in fewer deaths,” Strong said. “My hope, though, is that this decrease is the start of a trend in the right direction, which will continue until the number of deaths reaches zero.”
But with many businesses, summer camps and activities reopening, soaring June temperatures and family schedules disrupted by the start of summer, tragedy can happen quickly unless everyone is vigilant about safety.
Accidental heat stroke tragedies can happen to anyone, and often occur when caretakers forget a child is in the car.
Stress, fatigue, and change of routine can push a person’s brain into autopilot, making it easier to forget. Summertime can present more risk of injury due to hot weather and changes in routine, including children out of school and families staying up late for activities.
Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital is offering these Hold On To Dear Life child safety and injury prevention tips to help caretakers remember that a child is inside a vehicle to prevent unintentional injuries:
The Primary Children’s Hold On To Dear Life child safety and injury prevention program is part of Intermountain Healthcare’s Healthy Kids initiative, and Intermountain’s “Primary Promise” to invest $500 million to create the nation’s model health system for children. This investment in children’s health will be shared by Intermountain Healthcare and community philanthropic support through Intermountain Foundation’s emerging campaign.
For more information about child safety and injury prevention, visit primarychildrens.org/safety.
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With triple-digit and record-breaking temperatures expected in Utah this week, Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital safety experts are issuing a reminder to parents to never leave a child in a vehicle – even for a minute – to prevent unintended injury or even death.