PLEASE take a minute and read the statistics below and share this with anyone who has a small child or travels with pets in the car. I update this story every year in hopes that it may get into the hands of parents who leave small children or pets in the car and prevent another child or pet from suffering a horrible, slow, agonizing death.
-Jerry Reynolds, The Car Pro
It’s May and it’s getting hot, which means triple-digit temperatures are right around the corner. And every year about this time, I feel compelled to revisit a subject that no parent, grandparent, pet owner, or caregiver should ever ignore: the deadly danger of leaving children and pets in hot vehicles.
This isn’t one of those stories that gets old with time. Sadly, the statistics keep proving that.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 39 children died in the U.S. in 2024 after being left in hot vehicles, and 31 more succumbed to a horrifying death in 2025. Since 1998, more than 1,000 children have died from vehicular heatstroke in America. Experts say an average of 37 children die every year this way.
And as horrific as those numbers are, they only tell part of the story. According to Kids and Car Safety, at least 7,300 children have survived with varying types and severities of injuries after hot car incidents.
The frightening reality is that it can happen to anyone.
Most parents hear these stories and immediately think: “I could never forget my child.” But safety experts say many of these tragedies involve loving, responsible parents who simply had a break in routine, were distracted, overtired, stressed, or dealing with an unusual day. In more than half the cases, the child was unknowingly forgotten.
The NHTSA says that a child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s.
- Heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches about 104 degrees.
- A child can die when their body temperature reaches 107 degrees
Many people often underestimate how quickly temperatures rise in a hot car.
Average elapsed time and inside vehicle temperature rise compared to ambient outdoor temperature:
- 10 minutes = 19 degree increase
- 20 minutes = 29 degree increase
- 30 minutes = 34 degree increase
- 1 hour = 43 degree increase
- Over 1 hour = 45 to 55 degree increase
It is easy to see that while most think an 80-degree outside temperature is pleasant, in a short 30 minutes, the inside temperature of a car can reach 114 degrees.
Note this important fact: a body core temperature of 107 degrees is usually fatal.
This video demonstrates the temperature inside of a car versus the outside ambient temperature:
And please don’t fall for the “I’ll just run in for a minute” mindset. A minute turns into five. Five turns into fifteen. That’s all it takes.
Pets are just as vulnerable.
Every summer, animal rescue groups and police departments respond to heartbreaking situations involving dogs left inside parked vehicles. According to PETA, hundreds of animals either die or require rescue every year after being trapped in hot cars.
Dogs cannot cool themselves efficiently like humans can. Even on a mild day, temperatures inside a vehicle can soar well past 120 degrees. For breeds with short snouts, older pets, overweight pets, or animals with breathing issues, the danger arrives even faster.
If your dog can’t go inside with you, leave them at home where they’re safe and comfortable.
Safety advocates recommend developing habits that make forgetting impossible. One of the best is placing something you absolutely need in the back seat beside the child or pet. Your phone. Your purse. Your briefcase. Your left shoe if necessary.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration continues promoting its “Stop. Look. Lock.” campaign, reminding drivers to always check the back seat before walking away and to lock vehicles when parked so children cannot climb inside unnoticed.
Some newer vehicles now feature rear-seat reminder systems and occupant detection technology that can alert drivers if someone remains inside after the vehicle is shut off. Frankly, I think that technology should become as common as backup cameras.
One more important point: if you see a child or pet alone inside a hot car, don’t ignore it. Call 911 immediately. In many states, Good Samaritan laws protect people who intervene to save a life in an emergency.
I know this topic is uncomfortable. It’s supposed to be. But if even one reminder saves one child or one pet this summer, then it’s worth talking about every single year.
Please share this with parents, grandparents, babysitters, daycare workers, pet owners, and anyone else who transports children or animals.
Because when it comes to hot cars, “I’d never do that” are four words that have preceded far too many tragedies.
Jerry Reynolds is the host of The Car Pro Show, president of the Car Pro Radio Network, and is heard locally on WBAP and KRLD. A former Ford dealer, he now helps consumers navigate car buying and ownership. Read more at CarPro.com.
