More children have died in hot cars in the United States, raising the death toll to 18 so far this year.
Florida leads the U.S. with five deaths of children ranging in age from 17 months to 3 years old.
Safety advocates have said several different factors create the perfect conditions for tragedy to strike a family, and stress simple, consistent habits are the best ways to prevent children from dying in a hot vehicle.
➤ Data reveal when, where children are dying in hot cars
The most recent death in Florida was a 17-month-old found dead July 21 outside a Fort Myers church and school.
Almost 1,200 children have died in the United States since 1990, at least another 7,500 survived with varying degrees of injury, according to Kids and Car Safety.
On average, 37 children under the age of 15 die each year from heatstroke after being left in a vehicle, according to the National Safety Council.
"In an overwhelming majority of child hot car deaths, it was a loving, responsible parent that unknowingly left the child. Approximately 45% of children who were unknowingly left were supposed to be dropped off at childcare. It can happen to anyone," according to Kids and Car Safety.
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Temperatures inside a car can become deadly quickly, even if the outside temps aren't hot enough to warrant heat alerts from the National Weather Service. Hot car deaths have been recorded for ambient air temperatures as low as 13 degrees, according to the National Safety Council.
Yes, and more are expected this week with high temperatures and humidity making the heat index close to 110 throughout the state.
"Since 1990, at least 1,180 children have died in hot cars in the United States, and at least another 7,500 survived with varying degrees of injury," according to data compiled by Kids and Car Safety.
As of Aug. 12, 18 children have died this year after being left in a hot vehicle, according to Kids and Car Safety.
Five of the children were in Florida, with the most recent death reported July 21 in Fort Myers on Florida's west coast.
➤ SW Florida toddler dies in hot car at south Fort Myers church
A 17-month-old girl died July 21, 2026, in Fort Myers. The toddler was found dead in a hot car outside of a Southwest Florida church and school.
A 2-year-old child died July 5, 2026, in Hallandale Beach. The child was left inside a vehicle while in the care of a babysitter, according to Hallandale Police.
An 18-month-old boy died June 29, 2026, in Plantation. According to cbsnews.com, the boy was found dead inside a vehicle at an early childhood education center.
A 3-year-old boy in Riverview, died June 20, 2026. The boy was discovered by his father in a parked vehicle at the home, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.
A 1-year-old girl in Winter Haven, died March 31, 2026. The baby was discovered in the vehicle at a home.
Safety groups say the most effective way to prevent hot‑car deaths is to build simple, automatic habits into everyday routines.
Kids and Car Safety provided these suggestions to prevent children from being forgotten in hot cars:
Place the child's diaper bag or item in the front passenger seat as a visual cue the child is with you.
Make it a habit of opening the back door every time you park to ensure no one is left behind. To enforce this habit, place an item that you can't start your day without in the back seat (employee badge, laptop, phone, handbag, etc.)
Ask your childcare provider to call you right away if your child hasn't arrived as scheduled.
Clearly announce and confirm who is getting each child out of the vehicle. Miscommunication can lead to thinking someone else removed the child.
Keep vehicles locked at all times, especially in the garage or driveway. Ask neighbors and visitors to do the same.
Never leave car keys within reach of children.
Use childproofing knob covers and door alarms to prevent children from exiting your home unnoticed.
Teach children to honk the horn or turn on hazard lights if they become stuck inside a car.
If a child is missing, immediately check the inside, floorboards and trunk of all vehicles in the area carefully, even if they're locked.
As of Aug. 12, 2026, 18 children, including several babies, have died in hot cars. Locations, ages and circumstances — if known — were compiled by Kids and Car Safety:
July 29, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Circumstances: unknowingly left
Circumstances: unknowingly left
Circumstances: unknowingly left
July 10, Ponchatoula, Louisiana
Circumstances: unknowingly left
July 5, Hallandale Beach, Florida
Circumstances: unknowingly left
Circumstances: unknowingly left
Circumstances: unknowingly left
June 11, Lower Nazareth Township, Pennsylvania
Circumstances: unknowingly left
May 20, Fredericksburg, Virginia
Circumstances: unknowingly left
Circumstances: unknowingly left
May 19, Los Angeles, California
Circumstances: unknowingly left
Circumstances: unknowingly left
March 31, Winter Haven, Florida
Circumstances: unknown at this time
"The majority of parents and caregivers are misinformed and would like to believe that they could never 'forget' theirchild in a vehicle," Kids and Car Safety said.
"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.
"In over half of hot car deaths, the person responsible for the child's death unknowingly left them in the vehicle. In most situations this happens to the most loving, caring and protective parents. It has happened to a teacher, dentist, social worker, police officer, nurse, clergyman, soldier, and even a rocket scientist. "It can happen to anyone."
"In an overwhelming majority of child hot car deaths, it was a loving, responsible parent that unknowingly left the child. Approximately 45% of children who were unknowingly left were supposed to be dropped off at childcare."
Experts say cars can become deadly far faster than most people realize, even when outside temperatures feel comfortable:
80% of the increase in inside temperature happens in the first 10 minutes.
Cracking the windows does not help slow the heating process or decrease the maximum temperature.
Children have died from heatstroke in cars when outside temperatures were as low as 60 degrees.
Research has shown vehicles become dangerously hot quickly, even when the outside temperature is moderate:
Outside temperature of 72 can climb to 117 inside a car within an hour.
After 60 minutes, temps can climb 40 degrees when outside temps are between 72 and 96.
Interior vehicle temperatures can be 50 degrees higher than outside temperatures. Even on a cool day when the outside temperature is 61, within an hour, the inside temperature of a car reached more than 105, according to Consumer Reports.
On a 72-degree day, a car's interior can be deadly in less than 30 minutes, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The danger from high temperatures is particularly acute for young children because their bodies heat up three to five times faster than adult bodies, the American Academy of Pediatrics said.
Heatstroke in children can happen when their core temperature reaches about 104 degrees. A child can die if their internal body temperature reaches 107 degrees, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Cheryl McCloud is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network-Florida's service journalism Connect team. You can get all of Florida's best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY, at https://palmbeachpost.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida leads US in number of hot car deaths as numbers climb