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Can You Leave a Child in the Car Unattended?

JakeJake

Whether you’re running a quick errand or need to grab something from your house while your car idles in the driveway, it can be tempting to leave your child in the car for a minute or two while you go about your business. At first thought, this may seem entirely reasonable if the car is in a safe location, the temperature within the vehicle is acceptable for occupants, and there are no hazards to the child’s wellbeing. However, many states have passed laws forbidding parents, caretakers, or other responsible adults from leaving unattended children in a vehicle. 

In this article, we discuss the potential dangers of leaving a child in the car, the legality of doing so in each U.S. state, and some tips for keeping kids safe in a motor vehicle. Read on to learn more about how to protect your child in the car.

Is It Safe to Leave an Unattended Child in the Car?

Although it may be legal to leave an unattended child in the car in some states, doing so can be dangerous for their health. Some of the potential risks associated with leaving a kid in the car unattended include:

Does Your State Have a Law Against Leaving a Child Unattended in the Car?

At the time of this article’s writing, 21 U.S. states have passed laws that specifically address children left in a vehicle without supervision. In the table below, we note whether a state forbids leaving a child in a vehicle, whether there is a “grace period” length of time that a child may be left unattended, the applicable law or statute, and the ages of children that fall under the legislation. The AZ Defenders note that the penalties for leaving a child unattended may range from a misdemeanor to a felony, depending upon the state in which the crime occurred. 

Some noteworthy takeaways:

State Hot Car Law? Time Limit (Minutes) Child Age (Years) State Law or Statute Additional Details
Alabama Yes None 0-8 Ala. Code 1975, §13A-11-290(c)(4) Allowable if vehicle cooler than 99 degrees Fahrenheit
Alaska No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Arizona No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Arkansas No N/A N/A N/A N/A
California Yes None 0-6 California Vehicle Code Section 15620 Must be supervised by person 12+
Colorado No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Connecticut Yes None 0-11 C.G.S. § 53-21a Not allowed if child is endangered
Delaware No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Florida Yes 0 if car is off or child is at risk, 15 if car is on 0-5 Florida Statute 316.6135 Not allowed if child is endangered or car is on
Georgia No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Hawaii Yes 5 0-8 HI Rev Stat § 291C-121.5 Not allowed for five minutes or longer
Idaho No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Illinois Yes 10 0-5 720 ILCS 5/12C-5 Not allowed for ten minutes or longer unless supervised by a person aged 14+
Indiana No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Iowa No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Kansas No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Kentucky Yes None 0-7 “Bryan’s Law” Allowed but felony manslaughter if the child suffers fatal harm
Louisiana Yes 10 0-5 LA Rev Stat § 32:295.3 Not allowed for ten minutes or longer
Maine No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Maryland Yes 0 0-7 Maryland Family Law §5-801 Not allowed in a locked vehicle unless supervised by a person aged 13+
Massachusetts No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Michigan Yes 0 All children Section 750.135a Not allowed if child is endangered
Minnesota No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Mississippi No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Missouri Yes None All children RSMo Section 577.300 Allowed but caretaker liable for injuries or damages
Montana No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Nebraska Yes 0 0-6 Nebraska Revised Statute 28-710 Not allowed for any reason
Nevada Yes 0 0-7 NRS 202.485 Not allowed if child is endangered or car is on
New Hampshire No N/A N/A N/A N/A
New Jersey No N/A N/A N/A N/A
New Mexico No N/A N/A N/A N/A
New York No N/A N/A N/A N/A
North Carolina No N/A N/A N/A N/A
North Dakota No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Ohio No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Oklahoma Yes 0 0-6 47 OK Stat § 47-11-1119 Not allowed if child is endangered or car is on
Oregon No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Pennsylvania Yes 0 0-5 Title 75 Pa. C.S.A. Vehicles § 3701.1. Not allowed if child is endangered
Rhode Island Yes 0 0-11 RI Gen L § 31-22-22.1 Not allowed if child is endangered
South Carolina No N/A N/A N/A N/A
South Dakota No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Tennessee Yes 0 All children TCA Code 55-10-803 (a) Not allowed if car is on
Texas Yes 5 0-6 Tex. Pen. Code § 22.10 Not allowed for five minutes or longer
Utah Yes 0 0-8 76-10-2202 Allowed unless child suffers dehydration, hypothermia, or heatstroke
Vermont No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Virginia No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Washington Yes 0 0-15 RCW 9.91.060 & RCW 46.61.685 Not allowed if driver is at a bar / tavern or the car is left on
West Virginia No N/A N/A N/A N/A
Wisconsin Yes 0 All children Wisconsin Statutes 948.53 Applies only to childcare providers
Wyoming No N/A N/A N/A N/A

Annual Heatstroke Deaths from Being Left in the Car

Every year, children lose their lives due to being left in a hot car. From 1998 to 2022, 937 children died as a result of heatstroke from being left in a motor vehicle. On average, 37 lives were lost annually over this timeframe. Heatstroke deaths peaked in 2019 and 2020, at 53 fatalities per year, before decreasing down to 30 lives lost in 2022. Vehicle-related heatstroke deaths are especially tragic, since they are always preventable. If a relative, caretaker, or childcare professional leaves your child unattended and it leads to serious harm or death, Tiano O’Dell PLLC notes that you may have the foundation of a successful personal injury lawsuit.

Annual Pediatric Vehicle Deaths

How to Keep Your Child Safe in the Car

To help you keep your child healthy and safe in the car, we’ve compiled the following list of tips to follow. You should always:

Sources Cited:

Jake
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