With hot weather forecast for the North Country this weekend, St. Lawrence County parents and caregivers, along with pet owners must be aware of the dangers of leaving children or animals behind in hot cars.

On a hot day a car can heat up by 20 degrees in just 10 minutes and become deadly within minutes.

“Heatstroke begins when the body’s core reaches 104 degrees and at approximately 107 degrees is lethal” says Carrie Conger, St. Lawrence County Child Passenger Safety Program. “Unfortunately sometimes we get busy, change up our normal routine, or have someone else drive the kids.”

On average, 38 children die from heat-related deaths after being trapped inside vehicles every year. Even the most well intended parents or caregivers can leave a sleeping baby or child in the car, resulting in serious injury or even death.

Heatstroke is one of the leading causes of non-crash related fatalities among children. In 2022, 30 children lost their lives in hot cars, according to the National Safety Council.

The St. Lawrence County Child Passenger Safety Program would like to prevent these traumatic events from happening with these safety reminders.

• Look before you lock. Make it a habit to always look before you lock up the vehicle. Check the back seat, and then check again.

• Keep your vehicle locked when parked and keep your keys up and out of reach of children. Three out of 10 deaths happen when an unattended child gets access to a vehicle.

• TAKE ACTION! “Good Samaritan” laws offer legal protection for those who offer assistance in an emergency. Don’t wait, call 911 immediately, get the child out of the vehicle, and then spray the child with cool water.

• Remember the warning signs of heatstroke as it can help save a life.

1. Red, hot or moist skin

2. No sweating

3. Fast or slow pulse

4. Nausea

5. Confusion.

For additional information on children in cars and heatstroke, contact Carrie Conger, St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety, 315-386-2207, cconger@stlawco.org.

The St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with a grant from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.