As temperatures rise this summer, safety officials are urging parents and caregivers to stay alert to the dangers of leaving children in hot vehicles, especially during July, the deadliest month for pediatric hot car deaths.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly 40 children die each year in the U.S. from heatstroke in vehicles. Since 1990, more than 1,100 children have lost their lives to this preventable tragedy, according to data from KidsAndCars.org.

The majority of these deaths occur when children are accidentally left behind or become trapped inside a vehicle. Texas leads the nation with 160 child deaths, while Georgia has reported 47 fatalities over the same period.

Officials warn that temperatures inside a parked vehicle can rise by 20 degrees in just 10 minutes.

WSB’s Ashley Simmons contributed to this story