As number of kids dying in hot cars climbs, NSC launches free prevention course

Itasca, IL — Fifty-one children died from heatstroke in 2018 after being left in a hot car, surpassing a previous high of 49 deaths in 2010, according to data from the National Safety Council.

To help raise awareness of this issue, NSC has released a free online training course. Children in Hot Cars is designed to provide vital information about pediatric vehicular heatstroke, including why cars heat up so quickly; why kids are especially vulnerable; and what parents, caregivers and others can do to prevent these unintentional deaths.

“Last year, we set one of the saddest records in U.S. roadway safety history,” Nick Smith, interim president and CEO of NSC, said in an April 9 press release. “We believe this new training will go a long way toward educating people about pediatric vehicular heatstroke and empowering them with tips so they can avoid behaviors that can lead to these tragic deaths.”

NSC is issuing the training during Distracted Driving Awareness Month, observed each April to educate the public about the various forms of distraction behind the wheel.