Auto Warming Kills

Be a Force for Health: Prevent a Tragedy and Act Quickly and Respond

Quick safety reminder on hot-car hazards and simple ways to stay protected straight from the Force for Health Network course on heat-related illness prevention.

Hot cars heat up fast because sunlight pours through the windows as short-wave radiation, is absorbed by the dash and seats (dashboard card image here), and is then re-radiated back into the cabin as long-wave heat that can’t easily escape. This “greenhouse effect” can push interior temperatures to 110 °F in just ten minutes and exceed 125 °F in thirty … far hotter than the outside air … even with windows cracked. Infants, seniors, pets, and people on certain medications overheat fastest, so the risk window is minutes, not hours. Symptoms escalate from flushed skin and rapid heartbeat to confusion, unconsciousness, and organ injury within a short period.

How to avoid this tragedy:

1. Never leave children, older adults, or pets alone in a parked vehicle for any length of time.
2. Check the seat: official Force for Health infographic reminds you to always open the back door every time you park … “Look before you lock!”
3. Create a visual cue: place something essential (phone, purse, or a Force for Health-branded reminder card) in the back seat so you have to retrieve it.
4. Lock parked cars even in your driveway … kids can climb in and become trapped.
5. Know what to do if you notice danger: quickly locate the driver and if delay, then call 9-1-1 if the occupant appears at risk; most states have “Good Samaritan” laws to protect you if you break a window to save a life.

Let’s all be a Force for Health today … Learn it, Live it, and Share it so every child, pet, and neighbor makes it through the summer safe and sound!