More than two dozen children have died in hot cars this year. It is a statistic that compelled the makers of Waze, a popular traffic app, to add a feature that reminds drivers when they are traveling with a child.
Users can opt to set an alert that will remind them to take their child or pet out of their vehicle when they reach the destination they navigated to with Waze.
"Time driving is usually spent planning next steps. What we'll do when we reach our destination, what to make for dinner, which route to take?" the company said on its blog. "We hope this feature serves as a reminder to be present and remember any little ones who cannot speak up when it's time to get out of the car."
Heatwaves across the country have sent temperatures soaring to dangerous marks, especially inside cars left in the sun. Twenty-six children have died in hot cars this year, according to data collected by noheatstroke.org, up from 24 total deaths in 2015.
Last week, a father in Georgia left his twin daughters in an SUV and has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for their deaths. A 4-year-old girl died in a hot car in Pennsylvania just days prior to the Georgia death. In Falls Church, Virginia, a dog died after his owner left him in a car outside a pet store.
Babies have a particularly difficult time regulating their body temperature, which can quickly rise over the usually fatal level of 107 degrees, according to the National Institutes of Health. Both the NIH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend drivers never leave children or pets unattended in the car, even if the windows are down or if the weather feels cool and comfortable.
