WSP warns about kids left in cars

OLYMPIA - The State Patrol is urging parents to never leave a young child alone in a car, especially in the hot summer months.

In 2013, at least 19 children nationwide have died after being left unattended in a motor vehicle during sunny weather, according to the State Patrol. To date, none of these deaths have occurred in Washington.

Even with the windows cracked open a couple inches, the temperature inside the vehicle can exceed 125 degrees in a matter of minutes. On sunny days when the outside temperature may be in the 60s, the internal temperature of the vehicle can still reach 110 degrees within an hour, according to the State Patrol.

Because a child's regulatory system is not as sufficient as an adults, their body can heat up three to fives times faster, causing heatstroke. Heatstroke is caused when the internal temperature of the body exceeds 104 degrees. When a child's body temperature reaches 107 degrees, their cells and internal organs can be damaged. Children younger than 4 are at the greatest risk for heat-related illness.

The State Patrol asks anyone who sees a child alone in a vehicle to call 911. It is against the law in Washington state to leave a child younger than age 16 in a vehicle with the engine running.