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On average 38 children across the U.S. die each year after being left in hot vehicles. In 2014, 21 children died in the U.S., two of these were in Florida according to the Cable News Network. The death of a 2 1/2-year-old toddler after being left in his father's hot vehicle in Phoenix, Arizona was the first death in 2015.

Florida's temperatures have soared into the '90s over the last few weeks. This is not necessarily unusual for the month of May as we transition into summer.  The rise in temperature means the potential for a rise in the number of children's deaths in hot vehicles. "On a day that is just 72 degrees Fahrenheit, the temperature inside a car can increase by 30 to 40 degrees in an hour, and 70 percent of this increase occurs in the first 30 minutes," says Christopher Haines, director of pediatric emergency medicine at St. Christopher's Hospital in Philadelphia.

Kidsandcars.org provides a safety checklist called "Be Safe" :

Back seat - Put something in the back seat of your vehicle that requires you to open the back door every time you park - cell phone, employee badge, handbag, etc.

Every child should be correctly restrained in the back seat.

Stuffed animal - Keep a stuffed animal in your child's car seat. Place it on the front seat as a reminder when your baby is in the back seat.

Ask your babysitter or child care provider to call you if your child hasn't arrived on time.

Focus on driving - Avoid cell phone calls and texting while driving.

Every time you park - Make it a routine to open the back door of your car every time you park to check that no one has been left behind.

In addition to the above checklist, there is technology that can help prevent these accidents. One such technology is a car seat monitor which is a mobile app that can be downloaded onto both Android and iPhones. After placing a monitor under the seat cushion of the child car seat, drivers will know whether their children are still in the car seats by hearing an audible noise.

Fort Myers Child Injuries Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll-free at 1.888.477.4839, or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.