In 2014, 32 children died of heatstroke alone. As we transition into the summer, keeping your children safe is always a priority. With increased fun comes increased risks. The kids are out of school, the swimming and outdoor play is getting more frequent, and every place we go is just a little bit more crowded. You’ve got a lot on your plate.

Heatstroke occurs when the body temperature reaches a dangerous level of 104°F. This can cause brain damage if not treated immediately. If the body temperature continues to rise or is not lowered immediately, it can be fatal. This most commonly occurs when children are left in hot vehicles.

Quietly sleeping in the back seat for the first time in what seems like 3 days, your child looks too peaceful to stir. You’re only running in the store for a moment. You come home and the neighbor stops by for a chat. You’ve been meaning to talk to him and forget that your child has been in the back seat for over 15 minutes. Maybe you’re just too tired and simply forget. It can happen to anyone.

While the main reason for accidental death of children is vehicle crashes, the completely preventable heat stroke still occurs every summer. Temperatures are rising and a child’s body is not equipped to withstand as much heat as an adult’s. It may not feel too hot outside, but a car can heat up quickly because of the lack of ventilation. When a car sits in direct sunlight, the temperature can increase far beyond the exterior temperature.

Laws exist in most states with repercussions for leaving your child behind. Only 19 states currently have these laws, some of which are primarily referencing leaving a child unattended in any case. Some states have unapproved proposed laws, while a whopping 16 states have no legislation in that arena.

Kars4Kids Safety has developed an app that can be downloaded to your smartphone and send an alert to you via Bluetooth. The application itself is highly customizable and user friendly. When your phone leaves the car, it will chime a customized ring tone to remind you to take your child with you. You can set your phone to always alert you or manually let the app know that you’re traveling with a baby in the car.

In some cases, the person that has left the child in the car isn’t the parent or a parent that isn’t used to being on the same schedule. Caretakers and babysitters can forget simply because they aren’t used to checking. Making a call to check that your baby got to the intended destination could save a life. Additionally, have any caretaker download the application to be sure they’re being alerted every time they leave the car.