Fewer Hot Car Deaths for Kids Due to Pandemic: Experts
MONDAY, June 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The COVID-19 pandemic is a major reason why the United States is on track this year to have the lowest number of children die in hot cars since such deaths started being recorded more than three decades ago, experts say.
Nationwide, there have been two child hot car deaths so far this year. The average number is about nine by June 10, according to Jan Null, founder of NoHeatStroke.org, a website that tracks hot car deaths across the country, Accuweather News reported.
The pandemic has kept people at home and off the roads, reducing the risk of hot car deaths.
“The impact of people staying at home and not being in as many situations where they might forget a child in a car has certainly had an impact,” Null, an adjunct professor of meteorology at San Jose State University, told Accuweather News.
“We absolutely believe that COVID has had a major impact on the lower number of hot car deaths this year. Our big concern is that as families begin to go back to work, that the changes in routine could pose an increased risk for hot car deaths,” said Amber Rollins, director of the nonprofit group Kids and Cars.
“Additionally, with children being home more often, we are concerned that there could be an increased risk for children becoming trapped inside hot cars and other home accidental injuries,” Rollins told AccuWeather News.
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