Locked vehicles, warm weather dangerous for children

They are some of the most tragic stories to make news headlines each summer – young children left in closed vehicles can suffer fatal heat strokes on a warm day.  Whether a parent intends to make a quick stop at the store, or mistakenly leaves a sleeping baby in the car when arriving at work, the results can be disastrous.

Though the weather in Germany is often very mild during the summer months, experts say the temperature inside an enclosed vehicle rises an average of 19 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes.  Heat exhaustion can set in when temperatures exceed 90 F, and heat stroke can also occur as the mercury rises toward 105 F. 

Even when the outside air temperature is only 70 F, the interior of a car can quickly reach 120 F – a temperature that is fatal for babies and young children, whose core body temperatures may increase three to five times as fast as adults’.

“They have a very immature respiratory system,” said Janette Fennell, Kids and Cars president. “They don’t have the ability to repel heat. Their organs shut down fast. It’s a recipe for disaster.”  

There is no safe length of time to leave young children unattended in a vehicle – even if the windows are down.  Squirmy youngsters may inadvertently roll up the windows or lock the doors, creating a very dangerous situation.

Take these simple steps suggested by the National Safe Kids Campaign, to promote child vehicle safety this summer:
• Never leave your vehicle unlocked or allow children to play in or around any vehicles.
• Always keep your car keys out of the reach of children.
• Never leave children alone in a vehicle.
• Always check to be sure that all child
passengers get out of the vehicle.
• Consider using windshield shades in the front and rear windows .
• If you see young children unattended in a car, try to find the parents immediately or contact the police. Taking immediate action could save a child’s life.

Editor’s note: There is no official German law about leaving children unattended in a
vehicle, but Ramstein Air Base Instruction 31-204 (4.1.21) says: Vehicles will not be left unattended with a child (under the age of 10) in the vehicle. A new KMCI is currently being written and will be published in the KA.