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AAA Mid-Atlantic warns about heat stroke danger in cars

Courtesy of AAA Mid-Atlantic
AAA Mid-Atlantic's Monday morning experiment

AAA Mid-Atlantic is warning parents and caregivers to be mindful of the dangers of heatstroke when bringing kids along with them during this heat wave.  On days like Monday, the temperature inside a parked car on a can rapidly heat up to 200 degrees. The organization urges customers not to leave children or pets inside a parked car unattended, even if the windows are partially opened.

Kids are especially vulnerable to high temperatures. A child’s body temperature can rise up to five times faster than that of an adult.

 

Jim Lardear, a spokesman for AAA, says AAA employees performed a test Monday morning to see how hot a car would get in the sun.

 

"The temperature outside was 83 degrees. Parked the car in the sun, and then about ten minutes later, the inside temperature of the vehicle had risen to about 178 degrees," he says.

Jim Lardear, a spokesperson for Triple A, says 10 children have already died this year after being left in a hot car.

"Last year, 2014, we saw 31 of those deaths. So what we’re encouraging parents is just to make sure they look before they lock their car," he says.

Lardear adds that as people lead busier lives, the risk of leaving a child or pet in the car grows. One way to avoid that is by placing a necessary item like a purse or briefcase in the backseat with the child.

The organization is also warning parents to cool down their child’s car seat with a white towel before taking off. They recommend parking in shady spots and leaving windows open a crack so kids don’t get burned as they get in the car.

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