How to Keep Your Child Safe and Cool in the Car this Summer

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This post was sponsored Auto Alliance as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Maybe you’ve already read the stories or heard about them on the news. It’s an unfortunate statistic, that an average of 37 young lives are lost each year from being unattended in cars. More than half of these victims are under a year old while 75% were under two years of age.

The good news is that these tragedies can be prevented.

But how?

By knowing how to keep your child safe and cool in the car in the summer.

If you are starting out earlier in the day, your child may have layers on. We always start with a light jacket because we’re never sure how the weather is going to be.

However, as the day goes on (and especially if we’re in the car for an extended period of time), layers come off. Sure, we do our best to keep the air conditioning on or to keep windows open. We know that if we’re getting hot, then the younger passengers in the car are feeling it as well.

And while we, as parents, do everything that we can to ensure proper car safety; I’m sure we could all do with a few reminders.

For example, making sure that our children are in the right type of car seat for their age.

Take the time to read the owner’s manual of any car seat you purchase to insure that you are using the seat properly. Five-point harness protection is one of the most important features of car seats.  This means that there are five points that when aligned properly are holding your child in place.

As you consider a car seat, avoid choosing one based on features and the look of it. Instead, look at the safety it can provide to your child. Most car seats are heavily reviewed with safety information available about them at the manufacturer’s website.

A safe car seat is just one step in ensuring our children’s safety in a car.

But what about those hot days when we have a quick errand to run? Do we let the sleeping child sleep or dare to wake them up?

You absolutely wake them up.

You never know how long that quick errand is going to take. What might start as just five minutes could easily turn into twenty.

And unfortunately, by that point, is just might be too late.

Fortunately, the Auto Alliance is sharing three simple steps to help prevent heatstroke.

  • AVOID: Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving your child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep your car locked when you’re not in it so kids don’t get in on their own.
  • CREATE: Create reminders by putting something in the back of your car next to your child such as a briefcase, a purse or a cell phone that is needed at your final destination. This is especially important if you’re not following your normal routine.
  • TAKE ACTION: If you see a child alone in a car, call 911. Emergency personnel want you to call. They are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life.

It doesn’t take long for a tragedy to happen. Once a vehicle is parked, and its windows are closed or even left cracked open, temperatures can skyrocket.

In minutes, the car’s interior temperature reaches that of the outside air. Young children are particularly at risk because their bodies can heat up 3 to 5 times faster than adults. At times, the inside of a parked car can quickly exceed 120 degrees. That can be lethal for children, who may suffer heatstroke within minutes.

Help prevent another tragedy and ACT (Avoid, Create Reminders, Take Action)

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What tips or advice would you like to share?

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Kori

Digital Product Creator at Kori at Home
Hey there! I'm Kori, a neurodivergent mom and certified Life Coach, here to empower moms raising neurodiverse families. Diagnosed with ADHD and Autism at 37, I've turned my passion for neuronerdery into practical parenting tools. With a stack of coaching certifications and a love for 80s pop culture, Marvel movies, and all things brainy, I'm here to help you and your family thrive in this neurotypical world.

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