Suffocation due to lack of oxygen
When a child is locked in a closed car for a long time, there is a high risk of suffocation due to lack of oxygen. The confined space and good seal of the car make it difficult for fresh air to enter, leading to a gradual depletion of oxygen and an increase in carbon dioxide. This lack of oxygen can cause adverse reactions in the child, such as increased heart rate and high blood pressure. If the child is engaged in vigorous activity, these reactions can worsen, potentially leading to unconsciousness or even death by suffocation.
Heatstroke due to high temperatures
Locking a child in a car during summer can quickly result in dangerously high temperatures. In a short period of time, the temperature inside a sealed and sun-exposed car can exceed 60 degrees Celsius. It has been proven that 35℃ temperature plus 15 minutes of sunlight can lead to a temperature of 65℃ inside a closed car. Just half an hour in such an environment can be fatal. Children, whose bodies are still developing, experience a faster increase in body temperature and loss of body fluids compared to adults. Their respiratory system and heat tolerance are also not as developed. Therefore, they are highly susceptible to heatstroke in these "oven-like" environments, where their body temperature regulation fails and excessive heat accumulates, leading to damage to the nervous system and ultimately death.
How can a child locked in a car save themselves?
To prevent such tragedies, parents should teach their children basic self-rescue measures. In the event of being locked in a car, the following steps can be taken:
1. The horn and hazard lights of most cars are not disabled when the car is locked. Parents should teach their children to honk the horn and activate the hazard lights to attract attention from passersby.
2. Parents should teach their children to call for help or tap on the front windshield of the car.
3. Some car models can still be opened from the inside even after the power is cut off and the car is locked. If the child is capable of movement, parents can guide them to open the door from the inside.
Precautions to take
When parents take their children on car trips, they should fulfill their responsibilities as parents and avoid the regret of negligence. If there is no other option but to leave a child alone in the car, it is important to crack open a window to prevent the child from crawling outside. Even if the car has air conditioning, it is still advisable to open a window to ensure sufficient oxygen supply.
