Danger Of Hot Cars Highlighted In Demonstration

The National Safety Council reports 52 children died in hot cars last year—the deadliest year in the last 20 years.

The Indiana State Police called attention to the danger today.

Wayne Township Fire Department Captain Mike Pruitt, Indiana State Police Sergeant John Perrine and retired NBA player Scot Pollard sat inside a turned off car to show how quickly they were affected.

Pruitt says a child is in danger once their core temperature reaches 100 degrees.

“It doesn’t take long for that core temperature, so it’s your body heat plus the car heat combining together to raise that temperature, so it could turn deadly within just a matter of minutes,” Pruitt says.

The men stayed in the car with an outside temperature of 92 degrees. The car got up to 112 degrees in less than 20 minutes.

This is the third year the hot car demonstration has taken place.

“If we can save one life in this country because of this, then I’ll take this misery every day for the rest of my life,” Perrine says.

Pollard says the point is to start a conversation, and he was shocked how quickly he began to feel off.

“In 20 minutes in a hot car without the air conditioning on, I was actually surprised how quickly I got a headache,” he says.

So far this year, one Indianapolis child was reported dead from being left in a hot car. Pets and elderly are at high risk in hot cars as well.

Pruitt says these cases are often accidents, not due to negligence and people need to be more aware.