TULSA, Okla. — With heat advisories in effect for the next few days, temperatures will be dangerous in Green Country.
That also means parents need to be mindful of leaving kids in the car.
Kylie Reynolds is a new mom and knows that her 4-month-old son can overheat really quickly.
"They're little. They sweat really easy," Reynolds said.
On hot summer days, it doesn't take long for cars to get dangerously hot.
"It only takes 10 minutes for a car to heat perhaps 20-degrees even with a window cracked," said Mark Madeja with AAA.
That kind of increase can cause a child to have a heat stroke and die.
"It takes no time for the heat that can take their breath and they can suffocate overheat. They're little, you don't want to be in the heat. Nobody wants to be in the heat. So, why would the children want to. It's against the law. Plus, they’re precious—their life matters," Reynolds said.
The heat is also dangerous for pets and the elderly.
According to heatstroke.org, 59 children died in hot cars in 2019, a record number of deaths.
In the last 10 years, 23 children have died in Oklahoma after they were left in hot vehicles.
These kinds of incidents often caused by a distracted parent or caregiver.
"With all of our schedules having been so completely turned upside down with Covid, we're not in our same mindset of routine," Madeja said. "So, it's easier than people would think to simply forget about a child in a car."
Right now, COVID-19 has made some people wary about taking children and family members into stores.
That could tempt families to think it's safer to leave a child or elderly family member in the car so they don't potentially get exposed to the coronavirus.
"We don't need more tragedy than we're already dealing with these days," Madeja said.
Experts with AAA said to "look before you lock" in order to never forget a child in the car.
"Anywhere you go, even if you're going to get gas get them out, take them in," Reynolds said.
Safety tips from AAA:
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