With temperatures soaring, one US driver has posted a YouTube video warning parents about the risks of leaving children locked in cars, in hot conditions. Terry Williams has filmed a video of himself locked in his car, with the windows up in 30 degree heat in Raleigh, North Carolina, to demonstrate the life threatening conditions faced by children left in similar situations.
This follows a number of child deaths in hot cars including Cooper Harris, a 22-month-old who died from heatstroke after allegedly being left for seven hours in a car park in 33 degree heat – while his father worked on June 18.
"Year after year there will always be some fool that wants to leave their kid in the backseat of the car and forget about them."
The video from Williams has already been viewed more than 1,170,000 times with lots of interest from viewers – following several recent cases covered in the news. More than 44 children have died from heatstroke in the last year after being left in cars in the USA according to KidsAndCars.org. Figures for 2014 stand at 17 deaths to date.
UK research from the RSPCA states that even in 22 degree conditions temperatures inside a car can soar to a dangerous 47 degrees within just an hour. Drenched in sweat, Williams goes on to say, "I can barely breathe out here, but my system is stronger than these little kids’ systems".
Williams continues, "We go through this every, every year. Year after year there will always be some fool that wants to leave their kid in the backseat of the car and forget about them."
With high temperatures due on both sides of the Atlantic over the next week, hopefully this heartfelt video may prevent more children dying after being trapped inside hot cars.
