Look Before You Lock warns Colorado parents about the dangers of hot cars, even in cooler weather

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Statewide — Colorado is experiencing a break from the extreme heat, but the inside of a car can still heat up to 100º very quickly, and it can happen in temperatures as low as 57º. That was the message behind today’s demonstration at the Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus. The Colorado Department of Transportation and AAA Colorado launched the Look Before You Lock campaign and showed in real time just how quickly a parked vehicle can become dangerous for occupants, even with cooler outside temperatures on the way. CDOT reminds motorists that even with summer winding down, the risk of vehicular heatstroke remains.

During the event, an empty car was parked in Joy Park at the Children’s Museum with a large digital thermometer displaying the interior temperature. Within 10 minutes, the inside of the car reached over 105º, reinforcing the risk of vehicular heatstroke for children, older adults, people with disabilities and pets left alone inside a vehicle.

“No child or other vulnerable passenger should ever be left alone in a car, no matter the outside temperature,” said CDOT’s Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “Vehicular heatstroke can happen in temperatures as low as 57 degrees, so please remember to look before you lock.”

A child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult, so while a car may feel relatively cool to an adult, it can be dangerous to a child.

So far in 2025, 18 children in the U.S. have died after being left in a hot car. Unfortunately, these types of tragedies are on the rise nationally. Last year, 39 children died of vehicular heatstroke — a 35% increase from 2023. While Colorado has not seen a hot-car death since 2008, CDOT and AAA are determined to keep it that way through education and awareness efforts like today’s event.

Though vehicular heatstroke deaths are rarer in Colorado than in other states, they remain a preventable tragedy. The most recent deaths occurred in August 2008 when two young siblings died in Douglas County after being left alone in a hot car.

More than 52% of hot car deaths happen because a child was forgotten by their caretaker, and nearly 24% happen when a child gains access to a vehicle on their own. In addition to the temperature demonstration, the Children’s Museum led an interactive educational session for kids about the power of the sun. CDOT and AAA also offered families complimentary car fresheners with the reminder to “Look Before You Lock” during the event.

Tips to Prevent Vehicular Heatstroke

• Keep a stuffed animal, toy or other item in the front seat as a visual reminder when your child is in the back seat
• Put your phone, purse or work bag in the back seat next to your child
• Get in the habit of locking your car year-round
• Never leave a child, elderly or disabled passenger in the car, even for a quick errand
• Teach kids that a car is not a play area
• Keep your car keys out of someone’s reach
• If a person is missing, quickly check all vehicles, including the trunk
• Always Look Before You Lock

“AAA is passionate about raising awareness of vehicular heatstroke and continuing our partnership with CDOT. While Colorado has historically seen low fatalities of this kind, it’s always worth a reminder to be thoughtful when it comes to the safety of children and vulnerable passengers,” said Skyler McKinley, Regional Director of Public Affairs for AAA. “Let’s continue to set an example and avoid these preventable tragedies: Always check the back seat of your vehicle before exiting.”

“The Museum is thrilled to collaborate with CDOT to bring families and caregivers a vital, hands-on safety experience centered around the ‘Look Before You Lock’ message. By raising awareness in a fun, memorable way, we aim to eliminate preventable incidents statewide and ensure no child is ever left behind in a vehicle,” said Rachel Hamilton, Director of Education at the Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus. “Together, the Museum and CDOT are putting life-saving knowledge directly into the hands of our community—because every child deserves to return home safely.”

Further information can be found at nhtsa.gov/campaign/heatstroke.

Colorado’s Good Samaritan Law

If you see a child or other vulnerable passenger alone in a parked car, call 911 and get help immediately. In 2017, Colorado passed HB17-1179, which provides Coloradans immunity from civil and criminal liability for a person who forcibly enters a locked vehicle to provide aid to an at-risk person or animal.