Road trip ready with Chevrolet: Car seat tips and heatstroke awareness

2025-07-23


            

By Suzanne Johansson, lead child passenger safety engineer, General Motors

Summer is here, which means more road trips, more family adventures, and more time spent in the car. And while we’re packing up for vacation or heading to the beach, there’s something we all need to keep top of mind: child safety in vehicles.

As GM’s lead Child Passenger Safety Engineer, I spend a lot of time thinking about how we can help families stay safe, especially in the hot, high-travel summer months when risks like car seat misuse and vehicular heatstroke unfortunately increase.

To spread awareness and education among parents and caregivers, Chevrolet recently held an event at the Milford Proving Ground Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness Lab using vehicles for families of varying sizes and needs: the Traverse, Equinox, and Equinox EV. We demonstrated proper car seat fitting and installation, spotlighted safety and driver assistance tech like Rear Seat Reminder1 and Teen Driver2, and showcased how quickly cars can heat up, even on mild days.

Heatstroke risks

Here are some sobering stats from www.NoHeatstroke.org:

  • More than 1,000 children in the U.S. have died from heatstroke in vehicles since 1998.

  • In 2024 alone, there were 39 deaths, up 35% from the year before.

  • Already in 2025, 15 children have already lost their lives to heatstroke, 10 since June 6.

More than half of these tragedies happen when a child is accidentally left in the back seat. And it doesn’t have be 100 degrees outside — inside a parked car, the temperature can climb 20 degrees in just 10 minutes. In May, a 2-year-old from Maryland died after being left in a car on a 72-degree day.

Children’s bodies can also increase in temperature much faster than adults - they don’t regulate temperature as well. That’s why this is such a serious risk - even if you’re just “running in for a minute.”

Caption: Temperates inside parked vehicles can be far higher than the outside air.

Preventing heatstroke: A.C.T.

Here are some recommendation on preventing heatstroke from Safe Kids Worldwide:

  • Avoid leaving your child in the car—ever.

  • Create reminders. Put something you’ll need in the back seat, like your phone or wallet. Supplemental technologies like GM’s Rear Seat Reminder1 can also help with vigilance. Rear Seat Reminder1 does not detect people or items. You should always check the rear seat before exiting.

  • Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911 immediately.

We introduced Rear Seat Reminder1 in 2016, the first feature of its kind in the industry. If you open and close a rear door before or during vehicle use, it gives you an alert after you park and power off the vehicle, reminding you to check the back seat.

It's not a sensor -- it's a simple, reminder that's activated based on use of the rear doors. Invented by GM, a group of automakers soon adopted this technology to implement in their portfolios in 2019.

Car seat safety

When installed and used properly, car seats can reduce the risk of fatal injury by up to 71%. But according to Safe Kids Worldwide, more than half of car seats are still being used or installed incorrectly.

Here are some basics to double check:

  • Rear-facing as long as possible: It’s the safest position. Keep your child rear-facing until at least age 2, or until they max out the car seat’s limits.

  • Tight install: The seat shouldn’t move more than an inch side to side or front to back.

  • Harness check: Straps should lie flat, be snug (no pinching), and sit at or below the shoulders for rear-facing kiddos.

  • No aftermarket purchases or add-ons: Avoid buying used car seats as crash history is unknown, and check expiration dates. If it didn’t come with the seat, skip it. Things like mirrors might look helpful, but they could compromise safety.

Gain peace of mind with OnStar

For GM vehicles with active OnStar connectivity, built-in features and services can offer an extra layer of emergency support in crisis situations—for example, remote vehicle unlock or dialing you into the vehicle to provide your child with a familiar, calming voice.

At Chevy, safety comes standard

Chevy Safety Assist is included on most 2025 and newer models, and bundles 6 of our driver assistance features to give customers more confidence on the road: Automatic Emergency Braking2, Front Pedestrian Braking2, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning2, Forward Collision Alert2, IntelliBeam2, and Following Distance Indicator2. Teen Driver2 is a built-in feature that allows parents to coach new drivers with speed alerts, volume limits and more.

All this said, safety and driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver's responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner.

Make summer safer

We’re halfway through the summer but keeping our youngest passengers safe in and around vehicles is always important.

Buckle your kids up the right way for every ride, stay vigilant, and never leave a child in the car, not even for a moment. At GM, we’re proud to offer customers pioneering tech and safety-centered design—but nothing beats the power of a parent or caregiver’s attention.

For that reason and more, GM and Chevrolet have supported Safe Kids Worldwide with more than $83 million in grant funding since 1998 to spread awareness and help educate on safe practices for families in and around vehicles. For more helpful resources, like our Ultimate Car Seat Guide, visit www.SafeKids.org.

Suzanne Johansson, a certified child passenger safety technician and GM child passenger safety engineer, has over 21 years of experience at GM in vehicle manufacturing and product development. She has led the company’s child safety engineering since 2017.

1Does not detect people or items. Always check rear seat before exiting.

2Safety or driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver’s responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. The driver should remain attentive to traffic, surroundings and road conditions at all times. Visibility, weather and road conditions may affect feature performance. Read the vehicle Owner’s Manual for more important feature limitations and information.

By Suzanne Johansson, lead child passenger safety engineer, General Motors

Two child-sized test dummies.
Child-sized test dummies. General Motors pioneered the use of automotive test dummies in the 1960s.

Summer is here, which means more road trips, more family adventures, and more time spent in the car. And while we’re packing up for vacation or heading to the beach, there’s something we all need to keep top of mind: child safety in vehicles.

As GM’s lead Child Passenger Safety Engineer, I spend a lot of time thinking about how we can help families stay safe, especially in the hot, high-travel summer months when risks like car seat misuse and vehicular heatstroke unfortunately increase.

To spread awareness and education among parents and caregivers, Chevrolet recently held an event at the Milford Proving Ground Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness Lab using vehicles for families of varying sizes and needs: the Traverse, Equinox, and Equinox EV. We demonstrated proper car seat fitting and installation, spotlighted safety and driver assistance tech like Rear Seat Reminder1 and Teen Driver2, and showcased how quickly cars can heat up, even on mild days.

Heatstroke risks

Here are some sobering stats from www.NoHeatstroke.org:

  • More than 1,000 children in the U.S. have died from heatstroke in vehicles since 1998.
  • In 2024 alone, there were 39 deaths, up 35% from the year before.
  • Already in 2025, 15 children have already lost their lives to heatstroke, 10 since June 6.

More than half of these tragedies happen when a child is accidentally left in the back seat. And it doesn’t have be 100 degrees outside — inside a parked car, the temperature can climb 20 degrees in just 10 minutes. In May, a 2-year-old from Maryland died after being left in a car on a 72-degree day.

Children’s bodies can also increase in temperature much faster than adults - they don’t regulate temperature as well. That’s why this is such a serious risk - even if you’re just “running in for a minute.”

A demonstration of the temperature differential between the insider and outside of a parked vehicle.
Temperatures inside parked vehicles can be far higher than the outside air.

Preventing heatstroke: A.C.T.

Here are some recommendation on preventing heatstroke from Safe Kids Worldwide:

  • Avoid leaving your child in the car—ever.
  • Create reminders. Put something you’ll need in the back seat, like your phone or wallet. Supplemental technologies like GM’s Rear Seat Reminder1 can also help with vigilance. Rear Seat Reminder1 does not detect people or items. You should always check the rear seat before exiting.
  • Take action. If you see a child alone in a car, call 911 immediately.

We introduced Rear Seat Reminder1 in 2016, the first feature of its kind in the industry. If you open and close a rear door before or during vehicle use, it gives you an alert after you park and power off the vehicle, reminding you to check the back seat.

It's not a sensor -- it's a simple, reminder that's activated based on use of the rear doors. Invented by GM, a group of automakers soon adopted this technology to implement in their portfolios in 2019.

Car seat safety

When installed and used properly, car seats can reduce the risk of fatal injury by up to 71%. But according to Safe Kids Worldwide, more than half of car seats are still being used or installed incorrectly.

Here are some basics to double check:

  • Rear-facing as long as possible: It’s the safest position. Keep your child rear-facing until at least age 2, or until they max out the car seat’s limits.
  • Tight install: The seat shouldn’t move more than an inch side to side or front to back.
  • Harness check: Straps should lie flat, be snug (no pinching), and sit at or below the shoulders for rear-facing kiddos.
  • No aftermarket purchases or add-ons: Avoid buying used car seats as crash history is unknown, and check expiration dates. If it didn’t come with the seat, skip it. Things like mirrors might look helpful, but they could compromise safety.

Gain peace of mind with OnStar

For GM vehicles with active OnStar connectivity, built-in features and services can offer an extra layer of emergency support in crisis situations—for example, remote vehicle unlock or dialing you into the vehicle to provide your child with a familiar, calming voice.

At Chevy, safety comes standard

Chevy Safety Assist is included on most 2025 and newer models, and bundles 6 of our driver assistance features to give customers more confidence on the road: Automatic Emergency Braking2, Front Pedestrian Braking2, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning2, Forward Collision Alert2, IntelliBeam2, and Following Distance Indicator2. Teen Driver2 is a built-in feature that allows parents to coach new drivers with speed alerts, volume limits and more.

All this said, safety and driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver's responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner.

Make summer safer

We’re halfway through the summer but keeping our youngest passengers safe in and around vehicles is always important.

Buckle your kids up the right way for every ride, stay vigilant, and never leave a child in the car, not even for a moment. At GM, we’re proud to offer customers pioneering tech and safety-centered design—but nothing beats the power of a parent or caregiver’s attention.

For that reason and more, GM and Chevrolet have supported Safe Kids Worldwide with more than $83 million in grant funding since 1998 to spread awareness and help educate on safe practices for families in and around vehicles. For more helpful resources, like our Ultimate Car Seat Guide, visit www.SafeKids.org.

Suzanne Johansson, a certified child passenger safety technician and GM child passenger safety engineer, has over 21 years of experience at GM in vehicle manufacturing and product development. She has led the company’s child safety engineering since 2017.

1Does not detect people or items. Always check rear seat before exiting.
2Safety or driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver’s responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. The driver should remain attentive to traffic, surroundings and road conditions at all times. Visibility, weather and road conditions may affect feature performance. Read the vehicle Owner’s Manual for more important feature limitations and information.