Thursday, June 20 marked the first day of summer, which means temperatures are rising. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill wants to ensure that children do not fall victim to hot car deaths.

According to NoHeatStroke.org, 36 Louisiana children have died due to vehicular heatstroke since 1998. In addition, Louisiana has more pediatric vehicular heat stroke deaths per capita than any other state.

“We want to remind you that if you have a small child traveling with you, be extra careful. Never leave a child in an unsupervised car,” said General Murrill.

Leaving your children under the age of six in an unsupervised hot car is a crime in Louisiana. Police officers or bystanders have immunity to damage your motor vehicle to rescue a child or animal in distress.

Here are some tips to prevent leaving your children in a hot car:

•         Place a shoe or phone next to your child’s car seat to remind you to check the back seat
•         Make it a habit to check your entire vehicle before walking away
•         Get an app: try an app that sets an alarm when the car turns off
•     Take your time: especially when you are stressed and in a hurry, remember to slow down

Nothing is as important as your children. Please take these necessary steps to prevent these tragedies in the future.