HOUSTON COUNTY, Ala. (WDNews) – Summer heat is here, and with it comes a dangerous risk that’s all too easy to prevent: children left in hot cars.
Even on a mild day, the inside of a car can reach deadly temperatures within minutes. In Alabama alone, 33 children have died in hot vehicles since 1998.
Nationwide, over 1,000 children have lost their lives due to vehicular heatstroke — 39 in 2024 and already four in 2025.
More than half of these tragedies happen because a parent or caregiver forgets the child is in the car. Others occur when kids climb into an unlocked vehicle and become trapped.
In some cases, a child is knowingly left behind, often underestimating how fast the car can heat up. Rolling down a window or parking in the shade doesn’t make a difference.
Experts say more than 50% of these deaths involve children under two. Thursdays and Fridays are the most common days for these incidents, often tied to busy routines or daycare drop-offs.
What You Can Do:
- Always check the back seat before locking your car.
- Lock your car doors and trunk year-round so children can’t climb in.
- Never leave a child unattended in a car, not even for a minute.
If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Alabama’s Good Samaritan Law protects those who act in good faith to help during an emergency, even if it means breaking a window to save a child.
