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

Hot Car Safety Tips for Children

When the outside temperature is only 70 degrees, the inside of a parked car can still heat up to 120 degrees within just 15 minutes…ad that’s with the windows open!   That to me alone is scary because we live in the south where it’s hotter than 70 degrees most days out of the year!  This can be lethal especially for children as their body can heat up three to five times faster than an adult body.

Every year in the U.S., too many children die accidentally when left in a hot car alone.  Many cases involve kids being left in a car by mistake. 75% are children under age of two years old and 50% are children under a year old.  Parents and caregivers need to be vigilant to help avoid heatstroke death. Never ever leave a child alone in the car even for just a minute.  I think we as parents/caregivers need to be reminded of this from time to time.

To help raise awareness about the dangers of heatstroke in automobiles, the Auto Alliance has launched a campaign in support of the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) “Look Before You Lock: Never Leave A Child Alone in a Car” outreach letter. It’s encouraging the public to ACT to prevent heatstroke with the following suggestions:

• A-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.
• C-Create Reminders: 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.
• T-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.

Teaching Children About Hot Car Safety

1. Teach your child how to unlock a car door!
2. Test your child to see if he or she can open a closed door from the inside (both manually and automatically).
3. Show your child how to climb into the front seat and honk the horn. Make sure your child can honk the horn several times.
4. Practice these steps with your child.

This isn’t to cause fear for your children rather to help them understand and know what to do.  I have been getting in the car with our little one and going through these steps with her.  It takes repeating and doing it together…not just one time but periodically until I know she knows!  I’ve had conversations with her that a car is not a play house or a place she is to be without an adult.  Having these conversations are a great way to begin to plant the seeds in these minds on the safety of hot cars.

Hi I’m Erin a Southern mama from South Mississippi, owner and chief editor of Sixth Bloom a blog helping mom-tographers capture their kiddos and life, talking all things home, parenting and how we navigate through life. You will find me living life to the fullest with my mister (aka husband) and our little one year old, Miss E, in our 500+ sq foot cottage as we build our dream house on our two acres!  We are blessed beyond measure, love to travel, involved in ministry at our church and in between all of that I run three successful businesses!  Follow me at: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST