In the span of two weeks, there have been four children die in parked hot cars in Texas, surpassing the total number of those recorded throughout all of 2024, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
“The heatstroke death of a child is a tragedy too often repeated in our state,” said DSHS Commissioner Jennifer A. Shuford, MD, MPH. “The temperature inside a vehicle can rise nearly 20 degrees in 10 minutes, and heatstroke will occur when a child’s body can’t cool itself quickly enough. Children — and pets — should never be left in the car for any length of time.”
As of July 9, there have been a total of 15 children die in a hot parked car in the U.S., according to the Texas Heatstroke Taskforce. It’s the second-leading cause of car-related death for children under 15, behind vehicle accidents. Leaving a car window open does not protect both children and pets in extreme heat…