• Total number of U.S. pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths, 2023: 6
  • Total number of U.S. pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths, 2022:  33
  • Total number of U.S. pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths, 1998-present: 946
  • Average number of U.S. child heatstroke fatalities per year 1998-2022: 38

QUICK LINKS
- Infographic:   .jpg  .pdf
- Original study published in Pediatrics.
- Monthly Statistics 
-
Statistics by State 
- New - Updated through 2022:  
Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke: By the Numbers  (also PDF)
- NSC "Children in Hot Cars" Online Course

CIRCUMSTANCES

An examination of media reports about the 938 pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths for a 25-year period (1998 through 2022) shows the following circumstances:
    - 52.61% - Forgotten by caregiver (496 children)
    - 25.29% - Gained Access on their own (237)
    - 20.28% - Knowingly left by caregiver (190)
    - 1.81% - Unknown (17) 

AGES

The children that have died from vehicular heatstroke in the United States (1998-2022) have ranged in age from 5 days to 14 years. More than half of the deaths (54%) are children under 2 years of age. Below are the percentage of total deaths and the number of deaths.

< 1 31%  (284) 3  14%  (134) 6   1%  (9)   <1%  (2) 12   <1%  (1)
  1   23%  (214) 4   6%  (54) 7   <1%  (3) 10   <1%  (3) 13   <1%  (3)
  2   19%  (175) 5   3%  (30) 8   <1%  (3) 11   <1%  (4) 14   <1%  (3)

Click on location on map or table below for details

# Date City Temperature Gender Age
6 5/28/2023 Palm Bay, FL 85 Girl 11 mo
5 5/26/2023 Houston, TX 88 Boy 4 yr
4 5/24/2023 Puyallup, WA 77 Unk 1 yr
3 5/16/2023 Prosperity, FL 92 Girl 2 yr
2 3/6/2023 Port St. Lucie, FL 84 Boy 2 yr
1 2/27/2023 Atmore, AL 79 Boy 2 yr

Previous Years:  2022, 2021, 20202019, 2018, 2017, 201620152014201320122011201020092008200720062005200420031998 ‑ 2002