With at least one reported infant death in Iowa resulting from leaving a child in a hot vehicle, and with temperatures climbing back into the lower 90s this weekend, it’s a good time to review some safety tips.

Greene County Sheriff Jack Williams says if you have to leave your kids inside a vehicle on hot days, make sure that the vehicle is on and the air conditioning is running. He points out that it is considered child negligence if you leave them inside a vehicle that isn’t running on a hot day.

“If you happen to see a kid or an animal that’s in a car, and there’s no A/C on and it’s a hot day, call 911 and let us know. And then if you have the ability, you can break the window out to get that kid out. But always check the door first to see if it is unlocked and then call us and let us deal with it.”

Williams adds that if you do break the window, be mindful of where the glass could end up so as to not harm the child inside. He says the inside temperature of a vehicle can be 20-30-degrees more than the outdoor temperature. The National Weather Service encourages everyone to “Look Before You Lock” and remember to check for small children in carseats and never leave children unattended in a vehicle before you leave and lock your vehicle.