This is grim and depressing but we need to talk about it: Texas leads the nation in the number of child hot car deaths.

142 children lost their lives because of hot vehicles between 1998-2023 in Texas, according to noheatstroke.org.

What circumstances lead to hot car deaths?

In slightly over half of all child hot car deaths, the caretaker forgot the child in a hot vehicle.

I have no interest in harshly judging those parents, as they are now living their worst nightmare. While I never left my kid in a hot car, I certainly had moments of forgetfulness from being exhausted, stressed, etc.

What we need to ask ourselves, is how do we keep parents from forgetting their kids in hot cars?

We teach parents some easy ways to remember.

I am a forgetful person who constantly lost my purse, keys, and phone until I started using a method I learned from Atomic Habits, I book I highly recommend to anyone.

It's called the "pointing and calling method" and it was developed by the Japanese railway system as part of their safety protocol.

It's exactly what it sounds like: you point at the object and "call it out" in a way that works for you. I use numbers: 1 is keys, 2 is my phone, 3 is my purse and 4 is my water bottle.

After making this a habit when I leave anywhere, I rarely forget these things. You don't even have to do it "out loud" but I usually do.

When you take your child anywhere, point to them and say their name. Then when you leave your car, do the same. Make it a habit. Do it every time.

Other great ideas are to leave a stuffed animal or diaper bag in the passenger seat where you are sure to see, and/ or to leave your purse or another vital object in the back where you'll remember to grab it.

You could also make it a habit to open your backdoor every single time you use your vehicle, no matter what.

Is there someone you text constantly? Text them every time you leave with your child and when you get there safely. They'll appreciate the update.

Another big contributor to parents leaving their kids in cars is taking a phone call.

Just don't answer the phone- it can wait until you are no longer driving. If you are doing something new or different in your routine, there is no shame in leaving yourself a note on the dash: "Don't forget the baby!"

In other hot car deaths, the caretaker knowingly left the child in a hot car and either didn't realize the risks or something more nefarious. Interior temperatures inside a car can be FIFTY degrees hotter than outside.

Even a "nice day" can kill a child inside a car.

Children should never, ever be unattended in cars anyways.

Sometimes, kids get into the vehicles themselves. This is why you should keep your keys out of their reach. If the child is a little older, you should teach them how to unlock the door from the inside and how to honk the horn if they get stuck in there.

Remember, 100% of hot car child deaths are preventable. We just need to be hyper-vigilant, and if you ever see a child in distress in a hot car, take action immediately. For tips on how to deal with this scenario, head over here.