(Kentucky State Police)-Temperatures are on the rise this week and KSP is warning parents not to leave a child alone in a hot car. It may seem like common sense, but every year law enforcement agencies answer calls about unattended children in vehicles. KidsandCars.org reports that 39 children died in the U.S. during 2016 from vehicular heat stroke with 11 deaths already in 2017. KSP spokesman Lt. Michael Webb says vehicle heat stroke is often misunderstood by the general public. A majority of parents are misinformed and would like to believe that they could never ‘forget’ their child in a vehicle. Webb said  the interior of a car heats up very quickly and temperatures inside can reach 125 degrees in minutes. Webb says another component to these tragic deaths is the genuine curiosity of a child. Far too often, a child will be outside playing and end up in a car, locking themselves inside of the vehicle.

In 2000, Kentucky passed “Bryan’s Law,” which makes a person liable for second-degree manslaughter or first-degree wanton endangerment for leaving a child younger than eight years of age in a motor vehicle where circumstances pose a grave risk of death.  The law was named after 11-month old Bryan Puckett, who died July 13, 1999 after being left in a hot car by his babysitter. Webb offers the following safety tips:

• Never leave a child in an unattended car, even with the windows down.
• Be sure that all occupants leave the vehicle when unloading. Don’t overlook sleeping babies.
• Always lock your car. If a child is missing, check the car first, including the trunk. Teach your children that vehicles are never to be used as a play area.
• Keep a stuffed animal in the car seat and when the child is put in the seat place the animal in the front with the driver as a reminder.
• Place your purse or briefcase in the back seat as a reminder that you have your child in the car.
• Make ‘look before you leave’ a routine whenever you get out of the car.

Webb says while a person will face criminal charges for leaving a child in a car, the pain and guilt from making such a mistake will last far longer

KSP asks everyone to keep an eye out for children left in vehicles on hot days and to call 911 if they think the occupant is in danger.