Every year, preventable deaths happen because people did not know what they were looking at.
A child left in the back seat of a car on a warm April morning. A dog left in a truck bed on a seemingly mild afternoon. A senior citizen in a vehicle with a broken air conditioner on a July afternoon. In each case, the danger was real, it was fast-moving, and it was preventable.
May 1 is National Heatstroke Prevention Day, and this year Guardian Fleet Services is joining NHTSA’s national campaign with an expanded message: heat stroke threatens children, pets, and adults. Knowing the risks, the warning signs, and what to do can save lives.
CHILDREN: THE MOST RECOGNIZED RISK
More than 1,000 children have died from pediatric vehicular heatstroke in the United States since 1998. An average of 37 children die each year. These are not accidents in the traditional sense. They are tragic outcomes of predictable situations: a disrupted routine, an unlocked car, a caregiver who assumed the errand would take only a moment.
A vehicle’s interior temperature can rise nearly 20 degrees Fahrenheit in as little as 10 minutes. On a 70-degree day, that means 104 degrees inside the car. On a 90-degree day, it can exceed 130. Children’s bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults, and heatstroke can occur at a body temperature of just 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Critically, one in four heatstroke deaths involves a child who accessed an unlocked vehicle on their own, often to play. The solution is consistent: look before you lock, keep vehicles locked at all times, and never leave a child unattended in a vehicle for any duration.
PETS: THE OVERLOOKED RISK
In 2024, at least 111 companion animals reportedly died from heat-related causes in the United States. Hundreds more were rescued, and the true number is believed to be much higher because most cases go unreported. Dogs and cats cannot cool themselves the way humans do. A dog’s primary cooling mechanism is panting, which becomes rapidly insufficient in a sealed, overheating vehicle. Brachycephalic breeds, including bulldogs, pugs, and Boston terriers, are at even greater risk due to their respiratory anatomy.
Cracking a window does not meaningfully slow the temperature rise. Shade helps slightly but not enough. If a pet is showing signs of overheating, including excessive panting, drooling, glazed eyes, staggering, or collapse, this is a medical emergency. Call 911, move the animal to a cool area, apply cool, damp cloths to the paw pads and neck, and get the animal to a veterinarian immediately.
The most effective prevention is simple: do not leave pets in parked vehicles under any circumstances.
ADULTS: THE UNDERESTIMATED RISK
Heat stroke does not discriminate by age, but certain groups are particularly vulnerable: adults over 65, people with chronic health conditions, outdoor workers, and anyone who is dehydrated or has consumed alcohol. Drivers in vehicles without functioning air conditioning are also at risk, especially in extreme heat.
Heat stroke in adults can be difficult to self-diagnose because confusion is one of its primary symptoms. A person experiencing heat stroke may not realize how severely they are affected.
Know the warning signs: body temperature above 104 degrees Fahrenheit, throbbing headache, confusion or disorientation, slurred speech, agitation or unusual behavior, hot and dry skin, and rapid strong pulse. The presence of neurological symptoms such as confusion is what separates heat stroke from heat exhaustion and makes it life-threatening.
If you or someone near you shows these symptoms, call 911 immediately.
HOW TO HELP SOMEONE WITH HEAT STROKE
While waiting for emergency services:
- Move the person to an air-conditioned space or the coolest available area.
- Remove excess clothing.
- Apply cool, damp cloths to the neck, armpits, and groin.
- Do not give fluids to someone who is confused or losing consciousness.
- Use a fan only if temperatures are below the high 90s Fahrenheit. Above that, blowing hot air can worsen the situation.
- Begin CPR if the person loses consciousness and stops breathing normally.
Even if a person appears to recover, they should be evaluated by a medical professional. Internal organ damage from heat stroke can present hours later.
WHY GUARDIAN FLEET SERVICES IS RAISING THIS ISSUE
Our drivers operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, across more than 50 locations in Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, and Ohio. They are often among the first people to arrive at a roadside situation. They see what happens when things go wrong.
Being Guardian of the Highways means using that presence not only to respond when things go wrong, but to help prevent it. This week, we are asking everyone in our communities to look before they lock, to know the signs of heat stroke in every member of the family, and to act without hesitation if they see someone in danger.