Hawaiʻi Police Department
Traffic Services Section
Torey D. Keltner, Program Manager
Phone: (808) 961-2305
Media Release
As we move into summer, Hawai’i Police Department reminds everyone to be mindful when it comes to infants and young children in hot vehicles. It only takes a few minutes for the temperature in a vehicle to rise significantly, putting our keiki in danger.
Even with regular advertisements and public service announcements, keiki deaths in parked vehicles continue to occur across the nation. Seven children, ranging in age from 11 months to 4 years old, have died so far this year after being left in hot cars. Five of the seven deaths have occurred in the past month, with three of the deaths occurring in the past week in Florida, Washington, and Texas.
“Caretakers should never leave children alone in a parked car or truck,” said Torey Keltner, Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Program Manager.
“They should take steps to prevent young children from entering any vehicle themselves and becoming trapped, including locking the vehicle while it’s parked at home.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Thursdays and Fridays—the end of the workweek—have had the highest number of hot car deaths. Sadly, more than half of the deaths, (54 percent) are children under two years old.
Here are some safety tips:
• 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 temperature. 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.
Tips to remind yourself that a child is in your vehicle:
• 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.
Go High-Tech:
• Car manufacturers are starting to include audio and visual reminders about backseat occupants.
• By 2025, almost all new vehicles will include some type of backseat alarm. If you don’t want to wait, there are after-market products you can buy now.
If you ever have a situation where a child is in danger we urge you to call 911 and report it immediately. Your call may truly be the difference in saving a life.
