Leaving a child alone in a car is more than just dangerous it is against the law!
We have all had those moments: “But what if I leave the car running and the air conditioning on?” or “I can see the car it will be fine. I’ll be gone just a minute how bad can it be?”
Well, it could cost you $500 and time in jail is the answer.
According to KidsAndCars.org, on average 38 children die in hot cars each year in the U.S. from heat-related deaths after being trapped inside motor vehicles. When summer weather brings us temperatures of 90+ degrees here in Tampa Bay, the inside of a car can easily soar to 110-120 degrees and even higher within as little as 10 minutes. Leaving a child under the age of 7 in a non-running car unattended for a period of 15 minutes or more is against the law. What about leaving the car running with the A/C on? Even worse! Florida law states leaving a child in a running vehicle for ANY length of time is against the law. If an officer sees a child unattended in a vehicle, they may use whatever means necessary to protect the minor child and remove them from the vehicle. Not to mention that the child may end up with the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services afterward.
If the child ends up hurt — or worse, permanently disabled — you’ll be looking at a third degree felony. That could land you in prison for up to five years. Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Kim Montes told Fox 13 Tampa Bay “If we are unable to quickly find and locate that owner, we will take action to get that child out safely by breaking a window, or whatever means it takes to get into that car.”
From WebMD Nathan Allen, MD, an emergency medicine doctor at the University of Chicago says
“There is no safe amount of time to leave children alone in the car. Kids are more susceptible and at higher risk for heat-related illness and injury than adults because their bodies make more heat relative to their size and their abilities to cool through sweating are not as developed as adults.”
Heat stroke may occur when body temperature passes 104 degrees, causing symptoms such as dizziness, disorientation, agitation, confusion, sluggishness, seizure, loss of consciousness, and/or death.
The next time you think about leaving your child alone in a car no matter how quick your trip may be, DON’T do it. Your child could be hurt and you will be breaking the law.
Phillip Pelletier is the Director of Digital Marketing for PERENICH The Law Firm. Born and raised in Tampa Bay, Phillip has acquired an extensive background in e-marketing and technical writing. With these skills, Phillip is dedicated to helping those in our community who have been wrongfully injured obtain justice with the representation of the lawyers at PERENICH The Law Firm.