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May 1, 2025 – Washington, D. C. – On National Heatstroke Prevention Day , more than 100 grieving family members joined forces with Kids and Car Safety to demand immediate action from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).In a letter to recently appointed Secretary Sean Duffy, families from across the country urged DOT to finally complete a long-overdue safety standard mandated by law requiring every new vehicle to be equipped with occupant detection technology–a proven, available, and affordable solution to prevent children from dying in hot cars.
“After more than two decades of public education, children are still dying at alarming and record-breaking rates. We know what works. Technology can—and must—be an essential part of the solution,” said Janette Fennell, founder and president of Kids and Car Safety.
The numbers are staggering:
- More than 1,125 children have died in hot cars since 1990.*
- At least 7,500 more have survived with a range of injuries—many life-altering.*
“Hot car tragedies are every parent’s worst nightmare. And they don’t happen because someone didn’t love their child enough,” Fennell continued. “They happen because we’re human—and even the strongest love can’t compete with the limits of human memory.”
Most of us couldn’t get through the day without calendar pop-ups or phone alarms reminding us of appointments.
We already rely on reminder technologies in our everyday lives and our vehicles already have many examples:
- Your car alerts you if you forget and leave your headlights on.
- It reminds you to change your oil or check your tire pressure.
- Lets you know if you are running low on fuel or reminds you to buckle up.
If we use these systems to protect our vehicles, why not our children?
Neuroscience confirms that memory cannot be trained not to forget. When the forgotten is a sleeping baby in the back seat, the result can be catastrophic—and preventable.
To amplify this message, Kids and Car Safety , along with partners Safe Kids Worldwide , Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA)…
How You Can Help:
Join the conversation using these sample social media posts:
- A detection system can prevent hot car deaths. #HeatstrokeKills #HotCarsKill #LookBeforeYouLock
- Technology exists to stop hot car deaths—what are we waiting for? #LookBeforeYouLock #HeatstrokeKills #HotCarsKill
- In-vehicle technology can detect and alert us when a child is left behind. Let’s use that power. #HeatstrokeKills #HotCarsKill #LookBeforeYouLock
- If you see a child or pet alone in a vehicle, don’t wait—call 911 immediately. #HotCarsKill #LookBeforeYouLock #HeatstrokeKills
- Ask childcare to call you if your baby doesn’t show up as planned! #heatstrokekills
While the fight for a safety regulation continues, families are encouraged to use Look Before You Lock tips to help build lifesaving habits. One simple strategy:
Always have a stuffed animal in your child’s car seat. Each time you buckle them in, move the toy to the front seat to remind you they’re in the back. It costs nothing—but could save everything.
“Every day that passes without action puts more children at risk. This is a national crisis with a known solution. It’s time to use the technology that’s already in our hands,” said Fennell.
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