Full Notification

Culver City Police Department warns public about dangers of leaving children in hot cars
July 31 is National Heatstroke Prevention Day
 
Culver City, Calif. – The inside of a vehicle gets much warmer than the temperature outside, increasing the risk of heatstroke for children left inside vehicles for even short periods of time.
 
Outside of crashes, vehicular heatstroke is the leading cause of vehicle-related deaths among children. This is why the Culver City Police Department is reminding parents, babysitters, and anyone who cares for children to avoid leaving them alone in a hot car.
 
Last year, 52 children were killed as a result of being left alone in a hot car, a 21% increase from 2017 and the highest number in more than 20 years. More than half of all vehicle-related heatstroke deaths in children happen because a parent or caregiver forget they are in the car.
 
The temperature inside of a car can rise nearly 20 degrees in just 10 minutes and children are more prone to heatstroke, because their body temperature rises much faster than in an adult.
 
“Whether your child is fussy and doesn’t want to leave the car or is sleeping, it is important that you take them with you,” Culver City Police Chief Scott Bixby said. “Even in temperatures under 80 degrees, the inside of a car can reach triple digits in half an hour.”
 
To avoid tragedy and a lifetime of pain, the Culver City Police Department is encouraging parents, as well as others who care for children, to take extra precautions to make sure a child is not left behind in a hot car:
 

• Make it a habit to look before your leave and lock the car. Put a stuffed animal, purse, phone or wallet next to the car seat as a reminder.
• Always lock your car and keep the keys out of the reach of children. Teach your child that a car is not a play area.

If you see an unattended child, who appears to be in pain or is unresponsive inside a vehicle, call 911 immediately. Try to find the parents or notify businesses in the area to use a PA system to alert the car owner.