Left Unattended in a car, children can die in less than a Minute

Protect Children In and Around Vehicles

In 2006, more than 205 children died as a result of being left unattended in a vehicle. On a 100 degree day your car can reach 124 degrees within 15 minutes. On an 89 degree day your car can reach 108 degrees within 20 minutes. However, merely leaving a child in a car for just a minute can result in terrible consequences. Aside from heat stroke, other dangers from leaving a child unattended in a car include strangulation in a car window, injury from a vehicle backing up or setting a car in motion, trunk entrapment or abduction. Parents may intend to only leave their child for a few minutes but a short delay can be dangerous and deadly.

Heat stroke occurs when the body’s core temperature reaches 104 degrees. Death occurs when the core temperature reaches 107 degrees. A child’s body temperature can increase 3-5 times faster than an adult.

Pennsylvania is one of many states that have passed legislation making it illegal to leave your minor child in the car unattended. Pennsylvania Law Section 3701.1 specifically states that it is a summary offense to leave a child under the age of six years of age unattended in a motor vehicle that is out of the person’s sight and under circumstances which endanger the health, safety, or welfare of the child. This includes highways, trafficways and parking lots.

If you see that a minor child has been left in a vehicle unattended, you should call the local police at which point they become responsible for taking action.