An alarming study that looked at figures from more than three decades shows Florida is second in the nation when it comes to children dying in hot cars.
The study, released Friday by the group "Kids and Car Safety," looked at data from 1990 to 2023, that showed at least 1,083 children have died in hot cars nationwide in that time period.
Florida accounts for 118 child hot car deaths since 1990, the study found, behind only Texas which had 155 child hot car deaths.
California was ranked third with 65 deaths.
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HOT CAR DEATHS
The study said a likely reason for those states being more dangerous is due to higher average temperatures.
May through September are the months at the highest risk for hot car tragedies, with June, July and August the peak months, the study found.
Researchers found most hot car deaths happen under three circumstances: children are unknowingly left in vehicles (55%), gain access to the vehicle on their own (25%), or are knowingly left in the vehicle (15%).
Of the 118 Florida deaths, 79 were unknowingly left, 18 gained access, 18 were knowingly left, and 3 were unknown, the study found.
Cases involving children who are unknowingly left happen most frequently during the end of the work week while cases involving children who gain access to vehicles on their own happen most frequently over the weekend, the data found.
On average, 38 children die in hot cars every year in the U.S. Around 88% of children who die in hot cars are age 3 and younger.
The trend in deaths has been rising, with 2018 and 2019 marking the worst years on record, with 54 and 53 child fatalities, respectively. In 2023, 29 children died in hot cars.
Florida led the nation in 2023 for child hot car deaths with 7.
The data showed that nationwide, 5 children died in hot cars in both 1990 and 1991, followed by 6 in 1992.
According to the report, changes in the way children are transported in vehicles may have caused deadly unintended consequences.
In the mid-1990s, children were being killed by overpowered airbags when traveling in the front passenger seat, leading to safety advocates, government, and the auto industry working together to ensure children would ride in the back seat to prevent these tragedies.
Advocates say technology that helps alert drivers to children being in cars can help, but say parents need to be self-aware.
Florida law allows passersby to break car windows to rescue children or animals in distress, and in 2021 lawmakers approved a measure requiring childcare transport vehicles to have alarms.
