(Photo: WBOC)DOVER, Del.- Highway Safety experts say heatstroke is the leading cause for non-crash vehicle related death of children under 14.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 8 children died in the first week of August as a result of being left in cars. That's the highest number of deaths the group has seen in a one week period.
Thirty-three children died in 2011 due to being left unattended in cars, so far this year 23 children have died.
Karen Scott said parents who leave their kids in cars are not thinking of their children.
"I think the parents or caregivers who would do something like that are very careless," she said. "I don't think they're really thinking about their children, their minds aren't on them."
Children's bodies heat up faster than adults and heatstroke can occur in temperatures as low as 57 degrees.
The NHTSA suggests parents leave a purse or briefcase in the backseat so they do not forget a child is in the vehicle.
