Three children died in hot cars over a period of 24 hours last week:
- May 20, 2026: Fredericksburg, Va. – 2-month-old left by mother
- May 20/2026: Brookwood, Ala. – 1-year-old left by father
- May 19, 2026 Los Angeles, Calif. – 4-year-old left by a carpool driver
Already this year, at least five children have died in hot cars nationwide.
Kids and Car Safety, an advocacy organization, urges families to exercise heightened caution, pointing out a leading contributing factor is a change in routine, which can result in children being unknowingly left behind in vehicles – many of whom were intended to be dropped off at daycare.
“Somewhere today, a parent is kissing their baby goodbye, completely unaware that a routine day could end in tragedy,” Amber Rollins, executive director of Kids and Car Safety, an advocacy group, said in a statement. “By the end of this summer, families across the country will be mourning children who should still be here.”
At least 1,177 children have died in hot cars nationwide since 1990 and at least another 7,500 survived with varying types and severities of injuries, according to data collected by Kids and Car Safety. About 86 percent of children who die in hot cars are age 3 or younger and the majority, 54 percent, were unknowingly left by an otherwise loving, responsible parent or caregiver.
Rollins said these deaths are preventable, but prevention requires action such as a simple reminder habit, a check of the back seat, or lifesaving technology can spare a family a lifetime of grief.
Safety tips for parents and caregivers
Create simple habits to help keep your child safe:
- Make sure your child is never left alone in a car.
- Place the child’s diaper bag or item in the front passenger seat as a visual cue that the child is with you.
- Make it a habit of opening the back door every time you park to ensure no one is left behind. To enforce this habit, place an item that you can’t start your day without in the back seat such as an employee badge, laptop, phone, or handbag.
- Ask your childcare provider to call you right away if your child hasn’t arrived as scheduled.
- Announce clearly and confirm who’s getting each child out of the vehicle. Miscommunication can lead to thinking someone else removed the child.
Make sure children can’t get into a parked car:
- Keep vehicles locked at all times, especially in the garage or driveway. Ask neighbors and visitors to do the same.
- Never leave car keys within reach of children.
- Use childproofing knob covers and door alarms to prevent children from exiting your home unnoticed.
- Teach children to honk the horn or turn on hazard lights if they become stuck inside a car.
- Check immediately the inside, floorboards, and trunk of all vehicles in the area carefully, even if they’re locked, if a child is missing,.
Rollins said technology exists that can prevent deaths in hot cars. A provision was passed in November 2021 as a part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which requires the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a regulation by November 2023 for technology in all new cars to help prevent hot car deaths. The final rule is now more than two years overdue from the congressionally mandated deadline.
Children are dying while lifesaving technology sits on the sidelines waiting for federal action, she said.
“We need action,” Rollins said. “We need technology. And we need it now.”
She said child hot car deaths and injuries are largely misunderstood by the general public, and the majority of parents believe this would never happen to them.
