'Look before you lock' to prevent child heat deaths

(NBC) - With summer weather on the way, authorities are raising awareness of the danger of unattended children in hot vehicles.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics, an average of 38 children die after being in a hot car or truck each year.

The numbers come as a shock to many parents.

The NHTSA is encouraging parents to "look before you lock."

While half of the vehicle-related hyperthermia deaths occur when a child is left unattended, firefighters say about 30 percent of the incidents involve children who climb into a hot car and lock themselves inside.

First responders say that people who see a child locked inside a hot vehicle should immediately call 911 because children's body temperatures can rise five times more quickly than an adult's.