BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WBRC) – We are learning more about heat stroke car accidents after the death of a 2-year-old boy earlier this week.

Small children overheat three to five times faster than adults and can suffer heat stroke within an hour in a hot car, experts say.

Therefore, all cars manufactured after November 2023 will now be equipped with reminder technology as part of the new legislation.

“Yesterday, there were three fatal heatstroke accidents across the country,” said Jean Null, assistant professor of meteorology at San Jose State University. 19 degrees rise.Let’s say 10 minutes later on a 90 degree day, it’s 109 degrees inside the car.”

Professor Jan Null, who has studied heatstroke car deaths, says that children can die within an hour if left in an airless car.

“When your body temperature reaches about 104 degrees, you can get heat stroke,” says Null. “Once the body reaches 107, that’s when cells start to die, organs shut down, and death can happen pretty quickly.”

To prevent this type of accident, the law requires all cars manufactured after November 2023 to be equipped with reminder technology. Some newer cars already have this.

“You get to your car, open the back door, close it, get in, and drive somewhere,” Nur said. “When you park, you’ll see a reminder on your dashboard to check the back seat.”

Null said it helps, but most people don’t have new cars, so it’s not enough.

“Only about 8% of the cars on the road in any given year are new,” he said. “Of new cars, he only bought 38% of them under the age of 45. That’s the age range where you have a parent.”

Null said that until all cars have child detection technology, the best thing you can do is remind yourself.

“Leave your briefcase, wallet, lunch box and cell phone in the back seat with your child,” he said. “Just one more reason to open that back door.”

Null said the organization is advocating for another layer of technology into law. He said it’s technology like radar and infrared sensors that can actually detect when a baby is in the backseat and sound a horn or notification if you forget.

According to Null, an average of 38 children die each year in heat-related fatalities.

Click here for more information.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE WBRC FOX6 NEWS APP

Subscribe to the WBRC newsletter to receive the latest local news and weather directly to your email.

Copyright 2022 WBRC. all rights reserved.