Cedar Rapids police warn about dangers of leaving children in car

CEDAR RAPIDS - As summer approaches and temperatures creep up, Cedar Rapids police are reminding parents and caregivers not to leave children unattended in a vehicle.

Cedar Rapids public safety spokesman Greg Buelow said heatstroke is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children, killing a child on average every 10 days. Buelow said a child's body heats up three to five times faster than an adult's and can lead to damage to the brain or other bodily organs.

The temperature inside a car can increase by 20 degrees in 10 minutes and by 40 degrees in an hour, Buelow said. Heatstroke deaths have occurred in vehicles when the outside temperature was just above 70 degrees, Buelow said.

Police recommend parents and caregivers never leave a child alone in a car, create reminders by putting something in the back of the car and to call 911 if you see a child alone in a car.

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