Beat the Heat

With summer in full swing and temperatures rising (and rising!), we here at Ken Garff Honda want to take a moment to remind you about summer car safety.  It can very tempting to leave road-weary children or energetic pets in the car for "just a minute" while you run into that one last store.  However, as a local police department recently proved, it doesn't take long for your car and its passengers to overheat.   

In a recent safety demonstration carried out by the West Valley, UT police department, officers tested just how long it takes for car interiors to heat up.  

"We'll see how long it takes to get hot," said Officer Dana Pugmire as he got into an SUV parked in the blazing sun.

Pugmire has responded to calls with children locked in hot cars, but Thursday, he was the one feeling the heat. Outside it was 100 degrees.

"It builds quick, quicker than I thought it would," he said. "It's been about three minutes. The dash has gone from 105 (degrees) to 113."

After a few minutes, Officer Pugmire started to feel dramatic physical changes. 

"It's been about five minutes," he said from inside the SUV. "I'm starting to sweat all over the place."

After 10 minutes, beads of sweat were visible on his face. The paramedics called that a good sign he wasn't experiencing heat stroke — yet.  Remember, children don't show signs of heat distress as quickly as adults because their bodies don't regulate the way they react to heat the same way adults do.  That doesn't mean, however, that they aren't rapidly overheating.  

After 13 minutes, the temperature inside exceeded 130 degrees.   And everyone knows you can't get in and out of your favorite big box store in any less than 20-25 minutes.  And that's on a good day! 

According to research by KidsandCars.org, a national safety organization, an average of thirty seven children die each year in heat-related deaths in cars. Eight have died so far this year. Twenty years ago, when people had fewer distractions like cellphones, the problem was far less severe, with an average of a half-dozen fatalities each year. Ten children died in hot cars in Utah between 1990 and 2010, according to KidsandCars.

Remember:

• If you see a child or a pet locked in a hot car, call 911.
• The 911 dispatcher can help you decide whether you need to break the window before help arrives.
• Once the child is out, get them in the shade, loosen their clothes and cool them down with a cold towel on the neck and hands. 
• Give the child a cold drink. But, make sure they drink slowly, so their body can handle it.