The Hawai‘i Police Department has issued the following press release:
Leaving keiki alone in a vehicle can lead to a terrible tragedy. Recognizing that while these deaths, while accidental, are always preventable, Hawai‘i Police Department is sharing helpful tips to make sure it doesn’t happen to your family.
Remember:
- Never leave a child alone in a parked car, even with the windows rolled down or the air conditioning on. A child’s body temperature can rise 3 to 5 times faster than an adult’s. A core body temperature of 107 degrees is lethal.
- Always look in both the front and back of the vehicle before locking the door and walking away.
- Heatstroke can occur in temperatures as low as 57 degrees. On an 80-degree day, temperatures inside a vehicle can reach deadly levels in just 10 minutes.
- Never let children play in an unattended vehicle. Teach them a vehicle is not a play area.
- Always lock your vehicle doors and trunk, and keep the keys out of a child’s reach. If a child is missing, quickly check all vehicles, including the trunk.
- Place a briefcase, purse or cell phone next to the child’s car seat so that you’ll always check the back seat before leaving the car.
- Put a teddy bear in the passenger seat as reminder to check the back seat before you exit the vehicle.
- Have your childcare provider call you if your child doesn’t arrive.
- Write a note and place it on the dashboard of your car, or set a reminder on your cell phone or calendar.
- If taking your child to day care is not part of your usual routine, call your spouse or another caregiver to confirm you’ve dropped off your child.