How to Prevent Hot Car Deaths in Children

Unfortunately each year, there are reports of vehicular heatstroke deaths. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, on average, every 10 days a child dies from heatstroke in a vehicle.

As summer heats up, Amy Hill, MS, MPH, Executive Director of Injury Prevention and Research Center and Patrick M. Magoon Institute for Healthy Communities at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, share easy steps everyone can take to prevent vehicle heat-related injury or death.

Why are children so much more vulnerable than adults?  

A child's body is smaller, with a proportionally larger surface area relative to their mass. Their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult's. And unlike adults, young children cannot regulate their own temperature through sweating as effectively, cannot remove clothing, cannot call for help, and cannot escape the vehicle on their own. 

How fast does a car heat up? 

Cars act like greenhouses. Solar radiation passes through the windows and heats the interior surfaces — the seats, dashboard, and carpet — which then radiate heat back into the trapped air. This cycle continues even after the sun moves, and it accelerates rapidly in the first few minutes. Cracking a window open does not meaningfully reduce interior temperature — studies have found little difference between a window cracked and a fully closed car. 

Time Elasped	Interior Temperature on an 80°F Day
0 minutes	80°F
10 minutes	99°F
20 minutes	109°F
30 minutes	114°F
60 minutes	123°F

How to protect your child: the ACT framework 

Safe Kids Worldwide uses a simple, evidence-based framework that covers the full range of prevention strategies. ACT stands for Avoid, Create reminders, and Take action. 

Avoid Heatstroke 

• Never leave a child alone in a vehicle — not even for a minute
• Keep vehicles locked at all times, even in your garage or driveway
• Store car keys and key fobs out of children's reach
• Teach children that cars are not play spaces
• Check the entire vehicle — including cargo areas and trunks — if a child goes missing 

Create Reminders

• Place your bag, phone, or a shoe in the back seat so you always open the rear door 
• Keep a stuffed animal in the car seat — move it to the front when your child is buckled in 
• Set a phone reminder or calendar alert at your child's usual drop-off time 
• Ask your child care provider to call you immediately if your child doesn't arrive as expected 
• Be especially vigilant when your routine changes — schedule changes are when most forgotten-child tragedies occur 

Take Action 

• If you see a child alone in a parked car, call 911 immediately — do not wait 
• Stay with the vehicle until help arrives 
• If the child is unresponsive or in distress, act to remove them — see the bystander section below 
• If you realize you left your child in a car, call 911 immediately and return to the vehicle as quickly as possible 

Common Questions About Hot Car Safety 

Parents often have the same urgent questions when it comes to hot car safety and the answers can save a life. Here's what our pediatric team hears most, with straightforward guidance you can use right now to keep your whole family safe.

How hot does a car get in 10 minutes? 

On an 80°F day, a closed car's interior temperature can rise approximately 19°F in just 10 minutes — reaching nearly 100°F. Within 30 minutes it can exceed 114°F, and within an hour it can reach 123°F or higher. Cracking a window open provides little protection and does not meaningfully reduce interior temperatures. 

What temperature causes heatstroke in a child?

Heatstroke begins when a child's core body temperature reaches 104°F. At 107°F, major organ damage can occur and death is possible. Because a child's body heats up three to five times faster than an adult's, these thresholds can be reached in a hot car in well under an hour. 

Is it illegal to leave a child in a car in Illinois? 

Yes. Illinois law makes it a misdemeanor to leave a child age 6 or younger unattended in a motor vehicle for more than 10 minutes. A second violation is a felony, and a violation that results in a child's death can carry up to 10 years in prison. Illinois does not have a specific Good Samaritan law for hot car rescues as of 2026, though the Illinois Good Samaritan Act does provide general good-faith protections for emergency assistance to minors under 18. 

Can a child die in a hot car even on a mild day? 

Yes, even when outside temperatures feel comfortable, a car parked in direct sunlight will trap heat and warm rapidly. This is why the rule is never leave a child in a parked car — not "never leave a child in a hot car." 

What if I accidentally locked my child in the car?

Call 911 immediately and return to the vehicle as quickly as possible. Stay on the phone with the dispatcher and try to communicate with your child to keep them calm. Emergency responders can open the vehicle. Do not wait — conditions inside the car can deteriorate rapidly. 

Does cracking the window help keep a car cool? 

No. Research consistently shows that cracking car windows — even several inches — does not meaningfully reduce interior temperatures in a parked vehicle. Never leave a child in a car with the window cracked, believing it provides safety. 

How can I prevent forgetting my child in the car? 

The most reliable strategies are physical ones: place your phone, bag, or a shoe in the back seat every time a child is in the car. Use the stuffed animal swap method — keep a toy in the car seat when it's empty, and move it to the front seat when your child is buckled in. Ask your child care provider to call you immediately if your child doesn't arrive as expected. Be especially alert whenever your routine changes. 

 

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