Children and Parked Cars Don't Mix

When it's vacation time, there are a number of guidelines parents should follow for safe family travel. One of the most basic rules is never leave a child alone in a parked car, even for a few minutes. From 1996 to 2000, more than 120 children, most aged 3 and younger, died from heat stroke after being trapped in a car. In the summer of 1999, an average of one child every four days died after being trapped in a car parked in the searing heat. As a general rule, it is best not to leave a child unattended in a vehicle -- even if the windows are rolled down.