Press Conference:  AAA Oklahoma 10051 S. Yale Ave. Suite 106 (Shops Of Seville) Tulsa, OK

                                 Tuesday, June 12, 2008  2:00 PM

Speakers:                AAA Oklahoma

                                 Safe Kids Tulsa Area

                                 The Children's Hospital at Saint Francis

                                 Tulsa Fire Department

                                 Tulsa Police Department

June 8, 2018 – Oklahoma will be baking this week and into next week as summer temperatures and heat indexes are expected to soar.  We also have just come out of the hottest May on record.

Unfortunately, every summer there is news involving a young child left in a car and later found dead, killed by the heat.

“In most of these heart-breaking cases, the care giver or parent simply forgot the child was in the back seat,” said Mark Madeja, spokesperson for AAA Oklahoma. “It usually happens when the adult’s daily routine is disrupted and they just don’t remember the child is back there.”

A study by General Motors shows it takes just 10 minutes for the temperature inside a sun-drenched vehicle to warm up by 19 degrees. In 30 minutes, it can rise as much as 34 degrees.

Be sure to keep all parked vehicles locked so children don’t climb in, accidentally lock the doors and are unable to get out.

Young children and pets are especially susceptible to the heat because their bodies don’t have the same internal temperature control as an adult’s. In fact, for the most part, dogs and cats can’t even sweat.

Never leave a child or pet unattended in a parked vehicle, even if the windows are cracked or if the engine is running with the air conditioning on.

“It’s a good idea to keep a stuffed animal in your child car seat when it’s unoccupied,” said Madeja. And then move it to the front seat after securing your child as a visual reminder. Make sure you look before you lock whenever you get out of the car.”

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