Reminder for caregivers: Never leave child alone in vehicle

Children's of Alabama wants to reminds caregivers they should never leave children alone in vehicles. The hospital points to statistics that show since 1998, more than 660 children across the United States have died from heatstroke, also known as hyperthermia, while being left unattended in vehicles. Five of those deaths happened in Alabama since 2013. From 2015 until now, 24 kids have died in the United States from hyperthermia while in cars.

"Children's and SafeKids Alabama are working to ensure that no child is alone in a car, not even for a minute," said Marie Crew, SafeKids Alabama Coordinator. "On a hot summer days cars can heat up to 120 degrees and children do not tolerate heat nearly as well as most adults. We're trying to prevent these tragic deaths by participating in an education and awareness program that provide these key points at childcare centers, doctor's offices, hospitals and police and fire stations, but we certainly need help spreading the word."

Experts at Children's of Alabama wants you to remember the acronym "ACT" to prevent future deaths from happening this summer.

A: Avoid heatstroke-related injury and death by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep vehicles locked when it's not in use to keep children from venturing inside.

C: Create reminders by putting something in the back of vehicle near child such as a briefcase, a purse or a cell phone. This is especially important when not following a normal routine.

T: Take action. Call 911 if you see a child alone in a vehicle. Emergency personnel want these reports and are trained to respond to these situations. One call could save a life

You can find additional prevention information at www.safekids.org/heatstroke and www.noheatstroke.org.