Heatstroke deaths of children in vehicles
The number of child hot car deaths for 2023 was 29. So far in 2024, no deaths have been reported. On average, 38 children under the age of 15 die each year from heatstroke after being left in a vehicle. Nearly every state has experienced at least one death since 1998. In both 2018 and 2019 a record number of 53 children died after being left in a hot vehicle.
The data provided on this page is made available by Jan Null, CCM, Department of Meteorology and Climate Science, San Jose State University. Null, a certified consulting meteorologist, has been tracking U.S. child vehicular heatstroke deaths since 1998. His research indicates that in more than half of these fatalities, the child was forgotten in the vehicle by a parent or caregiver.
For additional information please visit noheatstroke.org.
Explore the data details to track trends by state, outside air temperature, and sex of victim.
