Qatar health officials list precautions to ensure child's safety in hot cars

Doha, Qatar: As temperatures in Qatar continue to rise across the country, the Hamad Injury Prevention Program (HIPP) at Hamad Medical Corporation s (...

Doha, Qatar: As temperatures in Qatar continue to rise across the country, the Hamad Injury Prevention Program (HIPP) at Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) Hamad Trauma Center, a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on Trauma, is raising urgent public awareness about the life-threatening dangers of leaving children or vulnerable individuals inside parked vehicles even for just a few minutes.

“The temperature inside a parked car can climb rapidly, even much higher than the outside temperature,” warned Tsoler Sekayan, Coordinator of the Hamad Injury Prevention Program. “Even on a moderately warm day, a vehicle’s interior can reach dangerous temperatures within minutes. This creates an extreme risk of heatstroke, high fever, dehydration, seizures, or even death, especially for young children.”

Sekayan stressed that young children, under the age of 5, are particularly at risk because their bodies absorb heat more quickly than adults. “Sadly, many of these incidents happen when children are unintentionally forgotten, or when they fall asleep and are left behind. It only takes a short time for a tragic situation to unfold.”

These risks are not limited to children alone. “Elderly individuals and those with chronic medical conditions or co-morbidities are just as vulnerable to heat-related illnesses as young children when left inside hot vehicles even for a short period,” said Sekayan.

She added that some children are unintentionally left in vehicles because they fall asleep or are forgotten by busy parents, guardians, or drivers especially when routines change or during stress. Children with special needs may also struggle to recognize or communicate danger, making them more vulnerable in these situations.