Never Leave a Child Alone in the Car, Physician Warns. Leaving a child alone in the car can have deadly consequences, even on just a warm day and only for a few minutes.
It’s a preventable scenario that can happen to anyone – after a busy morning getting ready for work a parent could easily forget their baby in the backseat of a car, or while running a few quick errands it may seem easier to leave a restless 5-year-old in the backseat, or a sleeping toddler in their car seat. However, a child should never be left alone in a car, not even for a couple of minutes, says Dr. Tony Woodward, medical director of emergency medicine at Seattle Children’s Hospital. On average in the U.S., 38 children die each year from heatstroke in hot cars, according to KidsAndCars.org.