Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto reminds parents, grandparents and anyone involved in caring for young children not to leave them in a car during the warm summer days.

"Leaving a child in a car alone is never advisable, but in the warm weather, it could be the setting for a tragedy," Supervisor Venditto said. "Every summer, there seems to be at least one story in the news about a young child left alone in a hot car, and it rarely has a happy ending. The temperature in a car builds up very rapidly once the air conditioner is turned off, even if the windows are left slightly open. Infants and small children are particularly vulnerable to heat. In a closed environment, heat can overwhelm their body's ability to regulate temperature, causing the body to go into shock and vital organs to fail."

Supervisor Venditto went on to say that many people are not aware of how quickly heat can build up inside a car. For example, if the outside temperature is 93 degrees, the temperature inside a car can reach 125 degrees in 20 minutes and 140 degrees in 40 minutes, even with the windows open an inch or so. At these temperatures, children can,

and will, die of heat stroke. Even on a 70 degree day, a car can heat up to the point where it poses a danger to children.

The Supervisor offered some recommendations to avoid heat-related auto injuries. "First and foremost, avoid leaving your children alone in a car, even with the windows open," he stressed. "Keep your car locked at all times when it is not in use, even when it is parked at home. Teach your children not to play around cars. Call 911 if your child gets locked inside a car. And, always check the temperature of the car seat surface and seat buckles before restraining children."

The Supervisor noted the same rules about not leaving children in cars apply to pets. "Many people feel they're doing Duke or Fifia favor by letting them ride along in the car when they go out to do errands," Supervisor Venditto stated. "But, the greatest favor you can do them is leave them safely at home rather than letting them sit alone in a car that will become a hot box, and, possibly, a death trap, in a matter of minutes while you go into the store."