Never Leave a Child in a Car: Heatstroke Prevention and What to Do

Quick answer: never leave a child alone in a parked car, not even for a minute and not with the windows cracked. A car can heat up very quickly, and a child’s body heats up faster than an adult’s. Build a habit to look in the back seat every time you leave the car, keep a reminder such as a bag or shoe in the back, lock the car and keep keys out of reach of children. If you see a child alone in a car and in distress, call 911 right away, and follow the dispatcher’s instructions.

Every year, children die in the United States after being left, or getting trapped, in hot vehicles. The stories often involve loving, attentive parents, a change in routine and a tired mind. This is not only a summer problem. Sun-warmed cars can reach dangerous temperatures on mild days, and cold cars bring their own risks in winter. This guide is part of our family health and safety guide. It explains how vehicle heatstroke happens, how to prevent it with simple habits, what the warning signs look like and what to do in an emergency.

Sources: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) guidance on child heatstroke and the Look Before You Lock campaign; American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) HealthyChildren.org on children and hot cars; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) heat-related illness information; Safe Kids Worldwide; the National Weather Service Heat Safety program. This article is general information, not medical advice. In an emergency, call 911.

How Cars Heat Up So Fast

A parked car works like a greenhouse. Sunlight passes through the windows, warms the seats and dashboard and the air inside cannot escape. According to NHTSA and the National Weather Service, the temperature inside a car can rise by roughly 20 degrees Fahrenheit in the first ten minutes, and most of that rise happens in the first few minutes. A car on a day that feels pleasantly warm outdoors can turn dangerous.

Cracking a window does not solve the problem. Studies cited by safety groups find that opening windows slightly has little effect on how fast the inside heats up. Parking in the shade helps only a little, and the shade moves.

Why Children Are More at Risk

Children are not small adults. Their bodies absorb heat faster than they can shed it. NHTSA notes that a child’s body temperature can rise three to five times faster than an adult’s. Young children also cannot always open doors, take off clothing or call for help.

Heatstroke happens when the body temperature rises to 104 degrees Fahrenheit or more and the body can no longer cool itself. The CDC lists a core temperature of 103 degrees or higher with symptoms such as confusion, hot dry or damp skin and nausea as a hallmark of heatstroke. At high temperatures, organs can fail, and the condition can be fatal.

How It Happens

Safety experts describe three main ways that children end up in hot cars.

A parent or caregiver forgets the child. This most often happens when the routine changes, such as a different driver, a different route, a baby who falls asleep quietly or a busy, tired or stressed mind. Experts stress that this can happen to anyone, since memory fails under stress and habit.
A child gets into a car that is not locked and cannot get out. Curious children climb in to play, and cannot get out. Cars left open in driveways or garages are a risk.
A child is left on purpose for a short errand. Even a few minutes is dangerous, and delays happen.

Habits That Prevent Tragedy

NHTSA’s Look Before You Lock campaign and safety groups recommend simple actions that fit into daily life. NHTSA’s ACT summary is a good memory aid: Avoid heatstroke by never leaving a child in a car, Create reminders and Take action if you see a child alone.

Look before you lock. Every time you leave the car, open the back door and look in the back seat. Make it automatic, like putting on a seat belt.

Create reminders. Put something you need next to the child in the back, such as a purse, phone, work badge, lunch or a shoe. Keep a stuffed animal in the car seat when the child is not in it, and move it to the front when the child is in, so the front seat reminds you.

Use technology. Some newer vehicles have a rear seat reminder. Phone apps and car seat sensors can remind you. They help, but do not rely on them alone.

Set up a check with childcare. Ask your child care provider to call you right away if your child does not arrive when expected. Make sure they have your cell number.

Stick to a routine. If someone else drops off your child, set up a text or call to confirm.

Lock your car, even in the driveway or garage, and keep keys and remotes out of the reach of children. Teach children that cars are not toys or hiding places.

Check the car if a child is missing. Look in the car, including the trunk, first.

Be extra careful when the routine changes. New schedules, holidays, travel and disruptions raise the risk.

Signs of Heatstroke in a Child

A child in a hot car may show:

Flushed, red, hot skin, which may be dry or damp
Rapid breathing and a fast pulse
Nausea or vomiting
Headache and dizziness
Confusion, agitation or unusual sleepiness
Limpness, or unresponsiveness
Seizures
Very high body temperature

Babies may seem fussy, then listless. Do not wait for a child to show all the signs, since danger rises quickly.

What to Do If You Find a Child Alone in a Car

NHTSA advises that anyone who sees a child alone in a hot vehicle should act:

Check the child. If the child is in distress, such as unresponsive, red-faced or struggling to breathe, call 911 immediately.
Follow the dispatcher’s instructions. They may guide you through opening the car or getting the child out.
Try the doors. If a door opens, open it and get the child out.
If every door is locked and the child is in danger, the dispatcher may advise breaking a window while help is on its way. Many states have laws that protect people who act in good faith, but laws vary. Let the 911 call guide you, and describe what you see.
Cool the child. Move to shade or an air-conditioned space, remove extra clothing and cool the skin with cool, not ice cold, water or wet cloths.
Stay until help arrives. Do not leave the child.

If the child seems fine, you can still call 911 or the local police. A child should not be left alone in a car, and responders can check on them.

First Aid for Suspected Heatstroke

If you are with a child who may be overheating:

Call 911, since heatstroke is an emergency.
Move the child to a cool place, in the shade or inside.
Remove extra clothing.
Cool the body fast. Use cool water, wet towels or a cool bath, and fan the skin. Place cool cloths on the neck, armpits and groin.
Give small sips of water only if the child is fully awake and able to swallow.
Do not give fever medicine such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to treat heatstroke, since fever reducers do not work for heat illness.
Keep cooling until emergency responders take over.

Even a child who seems to recover needs medical evaluation, since problems with organs can appear later.

Cold Cars Are Risky Too

Heat is not the only hazard. In winter, a car can become very cold. Children left in cold vehicles can develop hypothermia, particularly babies and toddlers who cannot regulate their temperature. Never leave a child alone in a car in any weather, and never leave a running car unattended with a child inside. Carbon monoxide, car theft and other dangers add to the risk. For winter travel tips, see our guide to winter coats and car seats.

Other Car Dangers

Power windows, which can trap fingers or neck if a child plays with the switches. Use lock switches and keep keys away.
Trunks, where a child can get trapped. Teach kids not to play in them, and use the trunk release.
Rolling cars, if a child puts the gear in motion. Set the parking brake, and remove keys.
Backover accidents, when a driver cannot see a small child behind the vehicle. Walk around the vehicle before backing out, and hold hands in parking lots.
Car seat misuse. Correct use of a car seat is one of the best ways to protect your child. See our guide to car seat stages by age and size.

Talking With Older Kids

Teach children not to play in cars and what to do if they are trapped. They can press the horn, flash the lights, honk and attract attention, or use the trunk’s glow-in-the-dark emergency release, if available. Make sure they know that hiding in a car is dangerous, and that they should tell you if a younger sibling goes outside. Keep cars locked, and teach children to ask before getting into any vehicle.

Building a Family Safety Routine

Prevention works best when everyone in the family shares the same habits. Sit down with the adults and older children who help with drop-offs, and agree on a plan. Decide who takes the baby to child care and who confirms drop-off. Agree that anyone can call the other if a child is missing. Put the plan in writing, and keep it on the fridge or in a shared note on your phone. Revisit it whenever your schedule changes, such as at the start of a school year, after a move or when a new baby arrives.

Share the plan with grandparents, babysitters and carpool drivers. Ask them to follow the same look-before-you-lock routine, and give them your number. Child care centers often have a policy to call parents when a child does not show up. Ask whether yours does, and ask them to call your cell and a backup number right away.

Talking About It Without Fear

Hot car stories are painful, and some parents feel overwhelmed. The goal is not to frighten children, but to give them simple rules. Tell young children that cars are for riding, not for playing, and that they should never climb into a car without a grown-up. Show older children where the horn is, and what to do if they are ever trapped. Praise them when they tell you about a car that was left open or a younger child who wandered. Keep the tone calm and practical.

What to Expect in the Weather

Heat risk does not depend on the calendar alone. Sunny days in spring and fall can produce hot interiors, and cars parked in direct sun heat faster than cars in cloudy conditions. Dark upholstery, dashboards and car seat buckles can become hot enough to burn skin. Before buckling a child in, touch the metal buckles and the seat surface. A light-colored cover or towel over the seat while the car is parked can cut down on the heat. Always check the temperature of the seat and the buckles with your hand (our summer sun safety guide has more on heat and skin), and cool the car with the air conditioning before you place a child inside.

Pets and Cars

The same rules apply to pets. Dogs and cats overheat quickly in parked cars, and they cannot ask for help. If you travel with your family pet, plan stops where they can come inside, or leave the animal at home. Teaching children to treat pets and babies alike when it comes to cars reinforces the message that no living thing belongs in a parked car.

Supporting Other Families

Hot car tragedies are rarely the result of neglect. If you see a friend or neighbor with a new baby or a heavy schedule, offer to help with school drop-off or share your reminder tricks. Share the message gently, without judgment, because shame stops people from talking about how easily it can happen.