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An expert is raising awareness about the dangers of leaving children in hot cars, a concern especially pertinent during the summer months. Amy Bollinger, an injury prevention trauma coordinator at Penn State Health Milton Hershey Medical Center, emphasizes that a child's body temperature can rise three to five times faster than that of a healthy adult. This rapid increase makes children more susceptible to overheating.
Bollinger warns that simply cracking a window is not enough to prevent the dangerous rise in temperature inside a vehicle. She advises caregivers to always take children with them, even if it is just a quick stop at a store. Additionally, she recommends keeping vehicles locked when not in use to prevent children from entering them on their own.
In 2025, 31 children in the United States tragically died in hot cars. According to Bollinger, half of these incidents occurred when children were accidentally left in vehicles, while the other half involved children entering unlocked cars by themselves.
According to Campus Insights Media, Bollinger highlights the importance of recognizing the warning signs of heat stroke and implementing simple prevention measures to protect children from heat-related emergencies.