Hot Car Dangers

As summer heats up in Montgomery, people are looking for ways to stay cool.

Jameelah Brown And her goddaughter, Lauren, are planning to take a walk in the park, one of the many places they like to go together.

“Park is one place. We like Chuck E. Cheese is another place. She also likes feeding the ducks in Shakespeare Park,” said Brown.

Brown also knows that safety comes first.
And she says she would never leave her goddaughter in a car alone…especially in this heat.

“Absolutely not. No, ma’am. I would take her with me and I would make sure she was dressed for the weather because its extremely hot,” said Brown.

While it may seem to be common sense to some, that’s not always the case.

Dr. Burnestine Taylor with the Alabama Health Department says, “its very important that children never be left alone in a parked car. The temperature in a car can increase very rapidly and children vulnerable to heat stroke even if the windows are down or half down. They are still vulnerable and susceptible to heat stroke and even death,” said Taylor.

Taylor says the size of the child allows them to become dehydrated easily and it could lead to heat stroke. That’s why it’s important to know the warning signs.

“The child may experience confusion, dizziness. Those are very big warning signs of heat stroke,” said Taylor.

In the meantime, Jameelah Brown is doing what she can to keep Lauren cool and safe.

“I would make sure she is fully hydrated. We have her sippy cup with us. You can put juice in it, water. Try to keep her out of the sun,” said Brown.