With summer temperatures on the rise, the Virgin Islands Police Department’s Office of Highway Safety is warning caregivers to take precautions against pediatric vehicular heatstroke, a preventable but deadly threat that can kill a child in minutes, a press release announced.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an average of one child dies every 10 days in the United States after being left in a hot car or climbing into an unlocked vehicle. Since 1998, more than 1,000 children have died from heatstroke in vehicles, making it one of the leading causes of non-crash vehicle-related fatalities involving children, the press release stated.
“That could never happen to me” is a common belief that no longer holds true for the families of 39 children who died in 2024 alone, the release stated. Vehicles can heat up rapidly, with interior temperatures increasing by 20 degrees in just 10 minutes, creating fatal conditions inside.
“There is no excuse for leaving a child unattended in a vehicle, even for just a minute,” said Daphne O’Neal, director of the Virgin Islands Office of Highway Safety. “Each one of the heatstroke tragedies that occurred on the mainland was preventable. By raising awareness, we hope to continue to avoid similar tragedies in the territory.”
Heatstroke sets in when a person’s core body temperature reaches approximately 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Death can occur once it climbs past 107 degrees. NHTSA officials say rolling windows down or parking in shaded areas offers little protection against rising heat levels, the release stated.
The VIPD urges caregivers and community members to take immediate action if a child is seen inside a locked vehicle — call 911 and get help without delay, it said.
For more information on child passenger safety, contact Director Daphne O’Neal at daphne.oneal@vipd.vi.gov or Denise Gomes, Occupant Protection program manager, at denise.gomes@vipd.vi.gov, or by phone at 340-473-7383.
Visit www.vipd.gov.vi for additional resources.
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