Two children have died so far this year after being left in a hot car, including one in Florida.
More than 1,100 have died in the United States since 1990, according to Kids and Car Safety.
Although temperatures don’t have to be scorching hot before the interior of a car becomes deadly, be sure to check your vehicle if you’re out this weekend.
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Some portions of Florida could see temperatures well above the average for this time of year, according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center.
Florida temperatures could set records this weekend
A system of high pressure could bring record-high temps to some areas April 18-19. Other areas could see temps several degrees above average for this time of year.
“Lots of records are expected to be challenged across central and northern Florida from Friday (April 17) through Sunday (April 19),” said Alex DaSilva, AccuWeather meteorologist, via email.
➤ Cool front headed to Florida, but first a scorching, dry weekend
“It will feel like summer for a lot of Florida, with temperatures of 4 to 8 degrees above historical averages in many areas. Tampa for example is expected to hit 90 on Saturday. The average high for that date is 83.
“Tallahassee, Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville will all challenge records late this week and over the weekend,” DaSilva said.
How how will it get in Florida April 18-19, 2026?
Here is the latest from the National Weather Service on how hot it could get in Florida this weekend, April 18-19:
2 infants have died in US after being left in hot cars, including 1 in Florida
“Since 1990, at least 1,172 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 April 17, two infants have died this year after being left in a hot vehicle, according to Kids and Car Safety.
➤ Baby girl dies after being left in a vehicle in Winter Haven
A 1-year-old girl in Winter Haven died March 31. The baby was discovered in the vehicle at a home.
A 7-month-old boy died after being left in a car at a library in Monterey, Tennessee April 15.
In 2025, 35 deaths of children in hot cars were reported. One was in Ormond Beach, Florida, according to Kids and Car Safety.
How do hot car deaths of children happen?
“On average nearly 40 children die in hot cars every year in the United States. That’s approximately one every nine days,” Kids and Car Safety said.
“Eighty-eight percent of children who have died in a hot car are age 3 and younger. Rear-facing child safety seats do not look any different to the driver if they are occupied or empty, which can cause a parent to lose awareness of them in the back seat.
“Approximately 43% of children who were unknowingly left were supposed to be dropped off at childcare.”
Cars heat up very fast. Cracking the window doesn’t help
“The inside of a vehicle heats up VERY quickly. Even with the windows cracked, the temperature inside a car can reach 125 degrees in minutes,” Kids and Care Safety said.
Research has shown vehicles become dangerously hot quickly, even when the outside temperature is moderate. With an outside ambient air temperature of 72 degrees, the internal vehicle temperature can reach 117 within 60 minutes, with 80% of the temperature increase occurring in the first 30 minutes, the National Safety Council said.
How hot is too hot for children inside a vehicle?
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.
Safety tips to help prevent babies, children from dying in hot cars
Kids and Car Safety provided these suggestions to prevent children from being forgotten in hot cars:
Make sure children cannot get into a parked car
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://heraldtribune.com/newsletters.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: 2 babies dead after being left in hot cars, including in Florida
Reporting by Cheryl McCloud, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Sarasota Herald-Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
