The role of socioeconomic and environmental factors on pediatric vehicular heatstroke (PVH) deaths and sentiment analysis: An investigation

Abstract

Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke (PVH) has been among the leading cause of non-traffic deaths among kids in the US. According to NHTSA, more than 900 children have died since 1998 because of being left in cars or accessing the cars without notice by adults. As of 2020, 40% of the 50 US states and Washington DC have policies on hot car deaths. This paper aims to answer the following research questions a) what role and statistical significance do socioeconomic and environmental factors play in PVH deaths? b) effectiveness of the policies enacted, and c) public opinions and perceptions on the PVH deaths? The paper utilized data from different sources to examine the influence of socioeconomic and environmental factors on PVH deaths in 3,012 randomly sampled cities. Findings showed that a) average high temperature and people living in poverty in the city have a significant influence on PVH deaths b) median income had an insignificant effect on PVH deaths however further studies will be needed. However, a median income ratio to the number of deaths suggests states with higher ratios have the lowest PVH death cases c) Texas, Florida, Alabama, and California had a significant number of deaths per year after policy implementation. In contrast, California and Illinois had a significant number of deaths per year before the policy implementation periods. The paper is aimed to stimulate public awareness campaigns, safety advocates, and policy decision-makers to implement effective measures to reduce PVH-related deaths.

Keywords

• Hot cars deaths
• Traffic safety
• Non-traffic deaths
• Heatstroke in kids
• Hot car policy