AAA Texas: It's Never Safe to Leave Children Alone in the Car; Death Can Come in Minutes

    AUSTIN, Texas--June 26, 2003--The death of an Austin child left unattended in a car in 90 degree weather points out the danger that children face if they are closed in a vehicle on a hot day, according to AAA Texas.
    "Children under four years of age seem to be the most at-risk for having their lives endangered by being left in a hot car for any length of time," said Stephen Bloch, Ph.D., senior research associate for AAA Texas. "Incidents appear to be equally distributed in three groups: children intentionally left in a car by an adult, children forgotten because of adult confusion or impairment and children locking themselves in a car while at play."
    Doctors warn that if the outside temperature is 90 degrees, it could be 110 inside a car. Within minutes the temperature can climb to 150 degrees or more. In a short time, a child can become dehydrated with the body's internal temperature climbing above 107 degrees. Even five minutes locked in an overheated car may be too much for a small child.
    AAA Texas urges motorists:

--	Never leave a child unattended in a car, even for a minute.
--	If you see a child locked in a car, immediately call 911 for emergency assistance.
--	Get the child to a hospital emergency room as soon as possible.
--	Never try to treat heatstroke at home with cold water or cooling the child in a tub of water. Only a specialist should treat heatstroke.

    AAA Texas, LLC, an affiliate of AAA National, has been serving Texans since 1902. Today, more than a million AAA Texas members benefit from the organization's roadside assistance, travel agency, insurance, financial products, automotive products, trip planning services and traffic safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on AAA Texas' Web site at www.aaa-texas.com.