Vehicular Heatstroke Prevention

Heatstroke Prevention

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) warns that nearly every state in the United States has been affected by a pediatric vehicular heatstroke death. We are passing along their heatstroke prevention cautions.

Mercedes-Benz Smart division now has a one-of-a-kind life recognition system that will automatically turn on the vehicle’s climate control system, the rest of us must pay close attention in hot weather, remembering that heatstroke can occur in outdoor temperatures as low as 60 degrees.

Some troubling facts:

• More than 1,000 children have died due to pediatric vehicular heatstroke since 1998.
• 39 children died in 2024 because of vehicular heatstroke.
• On average, 37 children die per year due to vehicular heatstroke.
• In 2018 and 2019, we saw a record number of hot car deaths – 53 children died each year.

The primary way a child dies from heatstroke is from a parent or caregiver “forgetting” their child in a vehicle. There are many factors at play, but a common one is a change in routine. Every family experiences a change in routine at some point, so every parent or caregiver is susceptible to this mistake. This “forgotten” circumstance accounts for more than half of the total child hot car deaths that have occurred since 1998.

Toddlers and young children are also at risk, as they can climb into a vehicle without supervision. Children may be playing or hiding, but if they enter a vehicle without the knowledge of an adult, they may be unable to get out of the car, especially if child locks are activated. It is essential to teach children that cars are not a place to play. Parents and caregivers should get into the habit of storing keys and fobs out of a child’s reach.

So always lock your car when you aren’t using it, and put the keys out of reach. Even if you don’t have a child of your own, a child in your neighborhood could get into your unlocked vehicle.

See NHTSA.gov or this link for more.

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The material on these pages is provided for information sharing purposes only, and should not be used in lieu of an OEM service manual or factory authorized service procedure. We are not in the auto repair business nor do we publish automotive service manuals. Nothing we include on these pages and posts has been reviewed, approved or authorized by any vehicle manufacturer.

Remember that only proper service and repair procedures will ensure the safe and reliable operation of your car. In addition, proper safety procedures and precautions, such as the use of safety goggles, the right tools and the equipment should be followed at all times to eliminate the possibility of personal injury or improper service which could damage the vehicle or compromise its safety.

Technology is always changing and what is current and accurate today may be literally out-of-date and inaccurate tomorrow. And when it comes to the current state of flux in the auto industry, nothing is more true.

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