Prevent
Hot Car Deaths in Texas
What
is hyperthermia?
Hyperthermia,
heatstroke, or hot car deaths are terms that describe the condition in
which a body gets so hot that it can no longer cool itself. Children and the
elderly left alone in cars, even when the temperature is only 60 degrees,
can overheat in minutes. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP),
once a body’s temperature reaches 104 degrees, major organs begin to shut
down.
Facts
about hot cars and heat stroke
Heat stroke is the leading cause of
non-crash, vehicle-related deaths in children younger than age 15.
- A child's body heats up
three to five times faster than an adult's does.
- Cars heat up quickly! In just 10
minutes, a car can heat up 20 degrees.
- Cracking a window or air
conditioning does little to keep the car cool once it is turned off.
What
you should know about hyperthermia in Texas
Texas
leads the nation in hot car deaths among children.
Texas
law
Leaving
a Child in a Vehicle (Penal Code Chapter 22.10)
A
person commits an offense if he (or she) intentionally or knowingly leaves a
child in a motor vehicle for longer than five minutes knowing that the child
is:
- Younger than age 7; and
- Not attended by an
individual in the vehicle who is age 14 or older.
Tips
for caregivers
- Teach children not to
play in or around cars.
-
Never leave a child
unattended in or around a car – Make a habit of looking in the front and back seat of the car
before locking the door and walking away.
-
Never assume it can't
happen to you or your child – A change in
routine or busy schedule can cause a caregiver to forget that a child is still
in the car.
-
If a child goes missing,
check the pool and water sources first, then check vehicles, including trunks.
-
If you see an unattended
child in or around a car, Call 911.
For
more information and parent resources, please visit safekids.org/heatstroke
Information
for safety advocates
Safety
advocates in Texas are encouraged to join the Texas Heatstroke Task Force
(THTF).
To
join: Send an email with your
name, occupation, organization (if applicable), and city to texasheatstroketaskforce@gmail.com. Write Join the
THTF in the subject line.
What
you can expect as a THTF member:
- Heatstroke prevention information and
updates will be sent to you 10
times per year via email. These updates contain news, statistics, and
resources.
- Help with obtaining temperature
comparison displays for public events. Both
standing and tabletop temperature comparison displays show the outside
temperature as compared to the temperature inside a vehicle.
- Rapid Response notification if there is a child heatstroke in a vehicle death in Texas.
This includes sample news release and key information points.
- Educational materials and
presentations are provided in downloadable
formats, including social media.
What
you will be asked to do as a THTF member:
- Include heatstroke prevention
information as part of your day-to-day educational activities. This could include child seat checkups (including virtual seat
checks), one-on-one counseling, presentations, media interviews, articles,
conferences, training sessions, and website updates.
- Periodically report your activities to
the task force. This is done via email sent to THTF as
your schedule allows. THTF activities are documented into a comprehensive
Activity Log.
Resources
Hyperthermia flyers
(click on images below to view flyers)
%202.png "Hyperthermia Flyer (Eng.)")
%202.png "Hyperthermia Flyer (Span.)")
Links to other hyperthermia flyers are included below:
For more information about this or other motor vehicle safety tips, please contact us at saferiders@dshs.texas.gov.
The Texas Department of State Health Services does not endorse external links to other websites. These links are informational and may not be accessible to persons with disabilities.