Today is National Heat Awareness Day!

Far too many children have been inadvertently forgotten in hot vehicles or have gotten into a vehicle on their own. Even the best of parents or caregivers can unknowingly leave a sleeping child in a car; and the end result can be injury or even death.

Forty-four kids died of heatstroke in 2013 when a distracted parent or caregiver inadvertently left a child in the vehicle. Summer hasn’t even arrived, and already this year three children have died of heat stroke after being left in vehicles. Studies show that these incidents can occur on days with relatively mild temperatures (such as 70 degrees Fahrenheit) and that the temperature in vehicles can become life-threatening very rapidly.

The worse thing a parent can do is think that it could never happen to them. With the help of kidsandcars.org, concerted efforts are being made nationally to increase and reinforce public awareness about the dangers of children left in vehicles. Visit www.kidsandcars.org for tips on how to avoid these and other tragic accidents. Creating reminders and habits is an effective way to ensure that a child is not forgotten in the vehicle.

Mark Bello has thirty-seven years experience as a trial lawyer and fifteen years as a leading expert in the lawsuit funding industry. His company, Lawsuit Financial Corporation, provides necessities of life funding to plaintiffs involved in pending, personal injury, litigation. He is a Member, Justice Pac Member, and Sustaining Member of numerous state and national justice associations.