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Texas leads U.S. in hot car deaths: How to keep your child safe

Texas leads U.S. in hot car deaths: How to keep your child safe
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BRYAN, Texas — Parent Yuceli Coatreraneres always remembers to take her child out of the car.

"Before I turned off the car, I just made sure I had all my things and had her before fully leaving," Coatreraneres said.

However, she knows not all parents remember.

Texas leads the United States with the most number of hot car deaths among children.

With triple digit temperatures, it just takes minutes for cars to reach deadly temperature, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services, and children are most at risk.

The department urges parents and pet owners to look in their backseat before locking their car to prevent these deaths.

There were 33 deaths in 2022.

Coatreraneres says that parents can invest in special car seats that alert parents when it gets too hot or even buy mirrors to remind them that their children in the backseat.

"We got a car seat here at Walmart. It's an EvenFlo All-In-One Sensor Safe something, and basically a little buckle just lets us know where the car is or if it gets too hot," Coatreraneres said.

Leaving a child in a hot car intentionally or knowingly for longer than five minutes is illegal in Texas if they are younger than 7 years old or not with someone who is 14 years old or older.

If you see an unattended child in a hot car or near a car in the heat, dial 911.