As the summer approaches and temperatures increase, the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Office of Highway Safety advises caregivers to avoid pediatric vehicular heatstroke. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, on average, one child dies from heatstroke every 10 days in the United States by crawling into an unlocked vehicle or being left in a car, intentionally or unintentionally. Heatstroke remains one of the leading causes of non-crash vehicle-related fatalities among children, killing more than 1,000 children since 1998.
“That could never happen to me,” is a common misconception no longer shared by the families of 39 children who died from vehicular heatstroke in 2024. Vehicles heat up quickly, with temperatures rising 20 degrees in as little as 10 minutes, creating a deadly situation for a child locked inside. “There is no excuse for leaving a child unattended in a vehicle, even for just a minute,” warned VIOHS Director, Daphne O’Neal. “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 begins when the core body temperature reaches about 104 degrees, and death occurs at 107 degrees or above. Rolling the windows down or parking in the shade does very little to combat this tragedy.
The VIOHS offers the following tips to keep children safe:
• Lock vehicles when not in use to prevent access to children
• Never leave a child alone in a vehicle, even briefly
• Check the back seat before locking doors and walking away
• Use reminders like a toy on the front seat or placing your bag on the back seat when transporting young passengers
• Teach children that a vehicle is not a safe place for playing, and keep vehicle keys out of reach
• Act immediately if you see a child locked in a vehicle. Get help; call 911!
For more child passenger safety information or resources, contact the Virgin Islands Office of Highway Safety through Director O’Neal at daphne.oneal@vipd.vi.gov or Occupant Protection Program Manager, Denise Gomes, at denise.gomes@vipd.vi.gov or via telephone at (340) 473-7383
