What to do if you see a child or pet alone in a vehicle

Every year on average, 38 children die in hot cars

Kids and Car Safety is calling on the public to be prepared to take action to save a life. If you see a child alone in a car; get involved.  Protecting children is everyone’s business.

Here’s What You Should Do:

• Don’t wait for the driver to return. Call 911 right away. The 911 operator can help give you instructions on how to care for the child or pet.
• If the child or pet is not responsive or is in distress, immediately:
  • Get them out of the car by any means necessary* 
  • Move the them to a cooler environment (somewhere with AC or shade if AC is not available)
  • Remove child’s clothing to let the heat dissipate from their skin
  • Dampen them with cool water or wet rags, immerse in cool water (not in an ice bath) 
• If the child or pet is responsive and not in distress:
  • Stay with them until help arrives
  • Ask someone else if they can locate the driver. You might suggest they ask security of a store manager to page them

Warning Signs of Heatstroke:

• Hot, flush or red
• Slow, weak pulse or strong, rapid pulse
• Lethargy, confusion or strange behavior
• Nausea
• No sweating

It’s never okay to leave a child alone in a car, even for a few minutes and even if the car is running.

Since Kids and Car Safety began tracking data, over 1,000 children have died from heatstroke inside vehicles. Additionally, hundreds of pets die in hot cars every year.

BE PREPARED!

Kids and Car Safety makes them available for a small donation at: https://www.kidsandcars.org/shop