Children’s of Alabama Launches Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke Awareness Campaign

Birmingham, Ala. (May 5, 2026) — Children’s of Alabama is urging drivers to look before they lock and keep our most precious passengers safe. The state’s only free-standing pediatric hospital kicked off its Look and Lock: A Child Safety Campaign on Monday.

This campaign raises awareness about pediatric vehicular heatstroke and its dangers. It is sponsored by Children’s, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and several other state and local safety partners.

“Hot car deaths are preventable, and we must all do our part to keep them from happening,” said Ashley Bridgmon, Manager of the Health Education and Safety Center at Children’s of Alabama. “We are grateful for the continued support from ADECA and other safety partners to increase knowledge around the dangers of heatstroke.”

Experts say pediatric vehicular heatstroke can occur at any time, but it is more likely to happen during the summer months. According to noheatstroke.org, a total of 31 pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths were reported last year, including one in the state of Alabama. At least two deaths have been reported this year.

Over the next several months, the Health Education and Safety Center at Children’s will be in the community, educating parents and caregivers about the dangers of hot cars and providing ways to prevent hot car deaths. Drivers will also see billboards across the state that have messaging about the dangers of hot vehicles.

This project is sponsored by a grant awarded by the Law Enforcement and Traffic Safety Division of ADECA and NHTSA. This is the third year Children’s has been awarded this grant.