Child hot car deaths are on the rise in NJ, AAA warns

🌡Child hot car deaths increased by nearly 35% last year, AAA says

🌡Two of those deaths occurred in New Jersey

🌡AAA urges parents and caregivers to take action in protecting kids

As the summer heat ramps up in New Jersey, AAA is sounding the alarm on child vehicular heat strokes and how quickly they can happen.

This is especially concerning given that child deaths inside hot cars increased by nearly 35% last year, said AAA Northeast Outreach Manager, Shani Jarvis.

In 2024, 39 children died in hot cars across the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Two of the kids were in New Jersey, Jarvis confirmed.

“That’s a significant increase over 2023 when 29 children succumbed to vehicular heatstroke. On average, 37 children die each year as a result of vehicular heatstroke,” Jarvis said.

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AAA offers tips on how to prevent child hot car deaths this summer (Getty Images/Canva)

Recent child hot car deaths in New Jersey

On August 30, 2022, a 2-year-old girl in Franklin Township, Somerset County died in a hot car when the outside temperature was 93 degrees, Jarvis said.

In 2024, there were two child vehicular heat stroke deaths. One was on July 15 in Lakewood, when a 2-month-old girl died when the outside temperature was 98 degrees. Jarvis said two days later on July 17, a 6-month-old baby girl in East Hanover succumbed to vehicular heat stroke when the outside temperature was 93 degrees.

AAA says hot car deaths among children are on the rise across the U.S. and in NJ (Canva)

How hot can a car become?

On a typical 80-degree summer day, the interior temperature of a car climbs 20 degrees in only 10 minutes and reaches a deadly 109 degrees in 20 minutes, Jarvis explained.

On hotter days, the interior of a vehicle can easily hit 120 to 140 degrees. NTSA states that when the outdoor temperature reaches 90 degrees, the car's temperature rises to 109 degrees in 10 minutes, 124 degrees in 30 minutes, and 133 degrees in 60 minutes.

In 100-degree summer heat, Jarvis said that the car is 119 degrees in 10 minutes. It can reach 134 degrees in 30 minutes and in 60 minutes, the car is 140 degrees. “That is not sustainable for anybody,” she said.

Preventing Hot Car Deaths

AAA urges parents and caregivers to stop and look in the backseat for kids before exiting and entering cars during the summer heat (Canva)

Stop and Look

AAA urges parents and caregivers to look in the backseat every time they enter and exit a parked vehicle. Make it a habit to check the entire care before locking the doors and walking away.

Over 52% of child hot car deaths are caused by a caregiver or parent forgetting the child in the vehicle, according to NoHeatStroke.org. Oftentimes, it’s not a parent. 29% of deaths related to children forgotten in vehicles involve someone other than a parent.

Jarvis said to place personal items like a purse, a briefcase, even a shoe on the floor of the backseat as a reminder to look before you lock.

Ask childcare providers to immediately call if your child does not show up for care as expected, and always seek confirmation that your child was removed from the car safely, by the person driving them, whether it’s a spouse, a grandparent, or a friend, who are normally not with the child every single day.

AAA is sounding the alarm on child vehicular heat strokes and how quickly they can happen. (Canva)

Lock the Car

“We are seeing that 25% of these hot car deaths are related to a child gaining access and not being able to get out. They think it’s great to play hide-and-seek in there, and then they can’t get out,” Jarvis said.

Many times, the child gets in the car and closes the door or trunk and can’t escape.

Keep car keys away from children and teach them that the inside of a car should never be a place to play.

Call 911 if you see a child alone locked in a hot car, AAA urges (Canva)

Act Fast

Call 911 and take action if you see a child alone in a locked car. A child in distress should be removed as quickly as possible.

Nearly 22% of these deaths occur when a caregiver knowingly leaves a child in the car, typically to run a quick errand or let the child finish a nap. Jarvis said that caregivers may mistakenly assume that cracking the windows is enough to cool and ventilate the vehicle.

But, it is not.

“While every family wants to believe this could never happen to them, the reality is a child dying from vehicular heatstroke is an unimaginable tragedy that can happen to any family,” said Jarvis.

“We urge families to take action to ensure children’s safety. Establish firm guidelines about heatstroke safety with family members and caregivers and put processes in place to ensure children — and pets — are never left behind. In some cases, a sticky note affixed to the steering wheel or a smartphone screen can help prevent a fatality,” she added.