Asweltering and unusually early heat wave across the Southwestis raising the risk of an all-too-familiar tragedy in the United States: deaths of children in hot cars.
Each year on average,nearly 40 children die in hot cars. The vast majority are under the age of 3, andmost are left by parents or caregivers by complete accident, according to the organization Kids and Car Safety, which tracks hot car deaths.
The data shows that a hot car death can happen at any time of year; even if it doesn't feel unbearably hot outside, the inside of a car can heat up faster than you'd think. Children have died in hot cars as early in the year as January, according to the organization. Since 2018, however, there were several years where the first death didn't occur until April or May.
But an unseasonably early heat wave expected to last through at least the weekend has already shattered daily high-temperature records, and in some places monthly records, and is prompting officials to warn of the risk of leaving children or pets in cars earlier than usual.
The heat wave, which began with temperatures close to 100 degrees in Southern California on March 17, is expected to expand in other Southwestern states on March 18 and through the end of the week, forecasters have said. More than 18 million people are under extreme heat warnings.
"Always CHECK THE BACK SEAT for children & animals,"saidthe National Weather Service in Los Angeles, where temperatures in parts of the region are expected to reach up to triple digits this week.
"LOOK before you LOCK," the weather service in Phoenixsaid.
How do hot car deaths happen?
Most hot car deaths happen after a parent or caregiver accidentally leaves a small child in a car, often while going about their daily routine. Even on a seemingly cool or overcast day, a car can quickly heat up, acting like a greenhouse. A child can overheat much more quickly than an adult, and children have died in hot cars when temperatures outside were as low as 60 degrees, according to Kids and Car Safety.
At least 1,165 kids have died in hot cars since 1990, including 35 in 2025, in states all over the country.
According to Kids and Car Safety, it can happen to anyone, and the vast majority of cases involve loving and responsible parents.
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"The most dangerous mistake a parent or caregiver can make is to think leaving a child alone in a vehicle could never happen to them or their family," Kids and Car Safety says on its website.
Janette Fennell, the founder of the organization, previously told USA TODAY that the deaths typically happen when a parent has a small change in their routine, or parents miscommunicate about who is taking a baby inside. For example, a parent who doesn't normally do daycare drop-off may drive straight to work on accident; a brain working on autopilot forgets to stop at daycare and the parent spends hours at work before the tragedy is discovered.There's a science behind the phenomenon.It's the same brain mechanism that causes someone to leave a cup of coffee on top of their car and drive away, Fennell said.
Such accidents account for over half (54%) of hot car deaths. Other times, about 25%, children gain access to vehicles on their own without their parents' knowledge. Be sure to keep cars locked and keys out of reach of children, Fennell said. About 16% of children who die in hot cars are knowingly left behind.
The biggest jump in temperature inside a car happens within the first 10 minutes after it is shut off. That's why people should never run into a store or gas station and leave a child in the car, thinking it'll only take a minute, Fennell said.
Prepare for extreme temperatures across the Southwest
What makes this heat wave so unusual and dangerous, forecasters say, is not just the level of heat, but also the timing. The March heat wave in the Southwest is sending temperatures soaring into the 90s and 100s weeks, or even months, before they normally would in places such as Phoenix and Las Vegas, forecasters have said.
On March 17, daily high temperature records were broken in Los Angeles and all-time March records were broken several places in Southern California, including at the Long Beach airport, where it hit 98 degrees, and in Woodland Hills, where it hit 101.
110 degrees?Forecast warns of record-setting March heat wave
Temperatures in Phoenix are expected to reach up to 107 degrees by the end of the week. On average, the city doesn't reach the 100-degree mark until sometime in May.
Record daily highs are possible this week from California to the Rockies, including cities like Salt Lake City, Albuquerque and Denver, AccuWeather reported.
Tips to prevent a hot car tragedy
Here's what experts say you should do to prevent a tragic accident:
Place a visual reminder that your child is with you, such as a diaper bag, in the front seat.
Put an important item you need to start your day in the back seat, such as your left shoe or cell phone, and make it a habit to always open the back door when you get out of the car.
Ask your childcare providers to call you if your child isn't dropped off as scheduled, because parents sometimes think they have dropped their child off and go to work, accidentally leaving them in their car seats all day.
Fennell also said a tip she likes to give is to keep a stuffed animal in your child's car seat at all times. When your child is put in the seat, the stuffed animal goes on the front passenger seat as a visual reminder.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Dozens of kids die in hot cars every year. This heat wave raises risk.