HOUSTON – So far this year, seven children have died from the heat in cars, four in Florida. Last year at this time, it was three. One in Houston. In May this year two kids -- a 2- and 4-year-old -- got into a car and couldn’t get out. The 4-year-old died.
Heat comes from the sun in the form of shortwave radiation. It gets spread out by longwave radiation. In this case, heat goes into the car and goes out.
Let’s say the temperature is 80 degrees. The temperature outside and inside the vehicle is the same.
But now I’m going to shut the door. The longwave radiation gets trapped and can’t escape. This makes the car act like an oven. And it doesn’t take long.
In 10 minutes, the car heats up 19 degrees. Imagine if it’s 90 or 100 out. It’s 109 or 119 in just 10 minutes.
In 20 minutes at 80 degrees, it’s 109 degrees inside the car. Our bodies have a difficult time cooling itself when the temperature is above 105 and children’s bodies heat up five times faster than adults. This situation has now become deadly.
In 30 minutes, it is now 114 degrees in the car. Some of us think cracking the car window lowers the temperatures but it doesn’t. The long wave radiation can’t escape fast enough.
In 40 minutes, it’s 118 degrees.
And in 50 minutes, it’s now 121 degrees in the car.
This is what you need to know: In the past 25 years. more than half of the children who die in a hot car are forgotten. More than a quarter gain access on their own. This is what happened last month in Houston. Little kids play, get in a car and are unable to get out.
In 20% of cases, children are intentionally left. Some people don’t know how quickly a car heats up, and they leave babies in the car while they run a quick errand. This is especially dangerous in this week’s weather. Or they crack the window thinking it won’t be that bad inside their car. Please, never leave a child or pet in parked a car.
And this is important…
Talk to your kids about not playing in a parked car. And if you’re ever missing your child, check the pool first, If you have one. Check the car second.
