Editor's note: Video is from a previous story about hot cars
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner and state fire marshal Mike Causey hosted a “hot cars demonstration” Thursday during a visit to Alamance County.
“As the summer heat cranks up commissioner Mike Causey and Safe Kids North Carolina reminds people of the dangers of leaving children in cars by re-launching our statewide summer safety campaign: ‘Baby, It’s Hot Inside’,” the North Carolina Department of Insurance said.
NCDOI said Causey also serves as the chair of Safe Kids North Carolina.
The group said the demonstration shows how quickly a car can heat to dangerous, and even sometimes deadly temperatures.
“During the demonstration, a large digital thermometer will simultaneously display the temperatures inside and outside of a parked car to show how quickly temperatures can reach life-threatening levels,” NCDOI said.
Causey said it only takes 10 minutes for the temperature inside a car to rise to dangerous levels.
“Summers are great in North Carolina but with the warmer temperature comes the very real danger of heatstroke,” Causey said. “Even the best of parents or caregivers can make the deadly mistake of leaving their child unattended and that’s why we’re trying to educate people before tragedy occurs.”
NCDOI said 35 to 40 children die as a result of heat exposure in cars, across the country each year.
“In 2018, the worst on record, 52 children died when they were left unattended in vehicles and were overcome by heatstroke. This record number of deaths demands the increased education of all parents and caregivers that it is never safe to leave a child in a car unattended,”
NCDOI said July is the deadliest month for cases of vehicular hyperthermia in children, but the danger spreads from March through November due to the subtropical North Carolina climate.
The organization said Causey also visited fire stations to listen to firefighters’ concerns and discuss efforts to support and strengthen the fire service during stops at fire stations during his trip to Alamance County.
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