ROSEVILLE, Minn-- Our sudden heat wave serves as a good reminder of the tragic effects it can have when you leave your kids and pets in the car.
Roseville police tweeted Friday night that officers have responded to three incidents already of kids being left in hot cars.
"In most cases it's a parent that is distracted, or out of routine," Hennepin Healthcare trauma prevention specialist Julie Philbrook says.
Authorities believe a simple change in routine may have contributed to the death of a 1-year-old girl in Nashville this week.
Police say she was left in a hot truck by her father when he left on a business trip Wednesday morning.
"A lot of times you will see it with the younger ones that are rear facing, because you just don't see them back there," Philbrook explains.
That little girl was one of seven kids who died hot cars this year, according to HotCarsAndKids.org.
In 2017, 43 kids were killed in hot cars nationwide.
A recent study out of Arizona State University showed parking your car in the shade will only slow down the heat. Eventually the car will become just as hot as it would if were parked in the sun.
Another study out of Stanford University shows cracking the window only relives the heat by a few degrees.
Philbrook says parents should create some sort of reminder in case they forget their kid in a hot car.
"Just take a stuffed animal and keep it in your child's car seat," Philbrook explains. "When you put the child in the seat, put the animal up front next to you as a visual cue."
Another suggestion is for mothers to put their purses in the back seat when they drive.
"People also leave their phones or even their left shoes in the back seat, because it forces them to check on their kids," Philbrook explains.
Another idea is to ask your child care provider to call you if your kid isn't dropped off by a certain time each morning.
These suggestions can also be used for pets, because animals are even more susceptible to the heat than humans.
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