Officials: On average, 37 children die in hot cars in the U.S. each year

With summer getting closer and temperatures starting to heat up, the National Safety Council is once again drawing attention to the potentially fatal conditions inside hot cars.

On average, about 37 children die in hot cars in the United States each year. According to the council, some have already died in 2018.

The council also says 742 children have died from heatstroke in vehicles between 1998 and 2017 in the U.S.

42 children died from such conditions in 2017, which was up from 39 in 2016.

Three main circumstances led up to hyperthermia and death for children: parents or other caregivers unknowingly leaving a child behind, children gaining access to a car on their own, and parents or caregivers purposely leaving a child inside.

The Self-Drive Act, passed by the house in 2017, could require visual or audio reminders for children left in cars.

The National Safety Council is also calling for protections for anyone who acts in good faith to save a child in a hot car, as well as other protective and punitive measures for those leaving children unattended.

For more from the National Safety Council, click here.