The statistics are startling. On average, 30 to 40 children die each year in the U.S. due to hyperthermia from being left in a hot car for too long. There have been 462 deaths since 1998, and there were seven deaths between June 13 and June 20 of this year alone.

General Motors is working with Safe Kids USA to increase awareness of the potentially deadly problem. According to experts, the ambient temperature of a vehicle on an 80-degree day can reach over 110 degrees Fahrenheit in just 20 minutes. On a really hot, sunny day the temperature can soar beyond 130 degrees in a matter of minutes. And since a child's body temperature rises at three-to-five times the rate of the typical adult, a child can succumb to heat stroke in a matter of minutes. As you'd expect, the problem is especially prevalent in warm weather states - Texas has the most hyperthermia deaths since 1998 with 64, followed by Florida with 50 casualties.

Most deaths occur because the driver simply forgets that their child is in the car, leaving them in a parking lot while they go to work or shopping. GM and Safe Kids USA have several useful tips to prevent leaving your child in the car. Among the best ideas are leaving a briefcase or phone in the back seat, setting a reminder with your email or phone to drop a child off at daycare and ask the daycare provider to contact you in the event that a child doesn't arrive at a scheduled time. And of course, if you see a child left alone in a hot car, call #911 immediately. Hit the jump to read GM's press release, which includes plenty of information on how to prevent a tragic situation from happening to you. There is also a short video after the jump that shows just how quickly a car can heat up.



More...