“Stop. Look. Lock.”
SANTA FE – Free statewide car seat clinics will be held on Friday, May 1 as part of National Heatstroke Prevention Day to raise awareness about preventing child hot-car deaths, check for proper car seat installation, and provide practical tips to help prevent heat-related incidents.
In New Mexico, 12 children have died from pediatric vehicular heatstroke since 1998, including a death in May 2025. Vehicular heatstroke remains the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children 14 and younger nationwide with 1,043 deaths since 1998.
The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urge caregivers to always lock vehicles, never leave a child unattended and make checking the back seat part of every routine. Placing a personal item in the back seat can serve as a reminder.
Caregivers should follow the “Stop. Look. Lock.” routine to prevent child hot-car deaths.
To raise awareness, NMDOT will host free car seat clinics at the following locations:
- Albuquerque — Fire Station #3, 141 Girard Blvd. NE, 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Artesia — Artesia Public Health Office, 1001 Memorial Drive, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Gallup — Fire Station 1, 1800 S. Second St., noon to 2 p.m.
- Las Cruces — Doña Ana County Government Center, 845 N. Motel Blvd., 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Rio Rancho — Fire Station 7, 641 Rockaway Blvd. NE, 10 a.m. to noon
- Santa Fe — Santa Fe County Public Health Office, 605 Letrado St., 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
These incidents can happen within minutes and are entirely preventable with consistent habits.
- Temperatures inside a vehicle can rise up to 50 degrees higher than outside conditions, and even a 60-degree day can become deadly.
- Cracking windows or parking in the shade provides little protection; a vehicle can reach dangerous temperatures in as little as 10 minutes.
- Children are especially vulnerable because their bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults.
Anyone who sees a child alone in a vehicle should call 911 immediately.
More information is available at nhtsa.gov/campaign/heatstroke and noheatstroke.org.
Car Seat Inspection Clinics are a free public service funded by the New Mexico Department of Transportation: Traffic Safety Division and are available to everyone. The child must be present to be considered for a seat replacement. A $35 seat replacement fee may apply. For more information, please call SAFER: (800) 231-6145 or (505) 856-6143.