Hot cars can be a death zone for kids this summer across the CSRA
AUGUSTA, Ga. - With school letting out and hot weather settling in, there’s a hidden danger parents can’t afford to overlook: hot cars.
Experts say in just 20 minutes, the temperature inside your car can climb more than 20 degrees hotter than it is outside, for a child that can be deadly.
Each year, young lives are lost after being left in hot cars and the numbers are already climbing.
Ga. wardens to keep an eye out for unsafe boating this weekend
There will be a lot of people out on the water this Memorial Day weekend at Clarks Hill Lake and on the Savannah River. But wardens warn the water can be deadly if you’re not careful.
Just this year three children in the U.S. have been lost to heat-related car deaths.
Experts warn it doesn’t take long, just minutes for temperatures inside a vehicle to become life-threatening.
“You know, a car can heat up 20 degrees in 20 minutes, so that’s a degree every minute. So, before you know it, it can become dangerous for children,” said Jadan Santayo, a safe kids coordinator in Georgia.
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The two-state region is getting ready for expected record-breaking travel this Memorial Day weekend, with the lowest gas prices we've seen in years.
Doctors say signs of heatstroke can appear quickly and knowing what to look for could save a life.
“You should always be looking out for a child who seems to not be speaking the right way, showing neurologic changes, extremely flushed, sweating a lot or just seeming out of it and not answering questions correctly,” said Dr. Michael Bosak.
Check forecast, conditions on our streaming weather channel
Worried about the weather? Here's a live feed from Augusta Weather 24/7, our around-the-clock digital weather channel.
Safety professionals are reminding parents to ACT:
- Avoid leaving children in the car.
- Create reminders.
- Take action if you see a child in danger.
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