FLORIDA, USA — Six children have died in Florida from being left in a hot car so far in 2023, each in a different county:
1. St. Lucie County - March 2023
2. Holmes County - May 2023
3. Brevard County - May 2023
4. Volusia County - June 2023
5. Polk County - July 2023
6. Baker County - July 2023
“Even just a few minutes in a hot car can lead to heat stroke, which can be fatal,” said Melissa Jordan, the Florida Department of Health assistant deputy for health in a statement. “Children are especially vulnerable to this heat risk and should never be left unattended in a car. These injuries and deaths are tragic but preventable. Make sure to always look before you lock.”
According to reporting from FOX Weather, experts say the temperature inside a car can rise more than 40 °F without air circulation. The advocacy group Kids and Car Safety, which collects the data, says 38 children die each year from heatstroke after being left in a vehicle, and Florida ranks among the highest states with hot car deaths.
Safety advocates say everyone has a role to play in protecting children from dying in hot cars. The child safety group, the Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida, breaks down the responsibilities like this:
Parents and guardians: make it your routine to check the back seat every time you get out of your vehicle. Leaving your phone, wallet, purse, or shoe beside the car seat can be a helpful reminder.
Schools and daycares: make it your strict policy to call and check in on infants and toddlers who do not arrive at the typical time.
Community members: be alert in parking areas, and if you see a child alone in a car, stay with the vehicle and call 911 immediately.
If you see a child inside a locked car, you're protected under Florida law to respond. If possible, police say you should open the door, take the child out of the car and call 911. If the door is locked, grab a pointed object like a rock and go to the opposite window of where the child is and hit the corner of the window to break it in.