Oakes Auto Group Partners with Kids and Car Safety for Live Hot Car Safety Demonstration

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August 17, 2026                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Emma Simon

Marketing Specialist

913-222-5317

emmasimon@oakesauto.com

Oakes Auto Group Partners with Kids and Car Safety for Live Hot Car Safety Demonstration

Free public event on August 19 will show how quickly a parked car's interior heats up - and why it's the leading cause of unintentional vehicle-related child deaths

NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Oakes Auto Group, a Kansas City-area multi-location dealership group, is teaming up with national nonprofit Kids and Car Safety [KACS] to host a live hot car safety demonstration on Wednesday, August 19 at Oakes Kia, located at 2900 Burlington Street, North Kansas City, Mo 64116.

The event will feature a real-time thermometer demonstration inside a parked vehicle, showing attendees exactly how fast - and how high - interior temperatures climb, even on a mild day and even with windows cracked. The demonstration is free and open to the public, with media invited to attend. KACS Executive Director, Amber Rollins-Reis, and a parent advocate impacted by the loss of a child in a hot car will be available for individual interviews at the event.

According to Kids and Car Safety's national database, at least 1,190 children have died of vehicular heatstroke in the U.S. since 1990, including 37 in 2025 alone. More than half of these tragedies happen when a caregiver unknowingly leaves a child behind, most often believing the child was already dropped off at daycare. Nearly all victims - 86% - are age three or younger.

Kids and Car Safety notes that the vast majority of these cases do not involve neglect, drugs, alcohol, or prior involvement with child protective services - underscoring that hot car deaths are a preventable tragedy that can happen to any loving, attentive family.

Both Kansas and Missouri have Good Samaritan laws that protect citizens from liability if they break into a vehicle to save a child's life. The event will include a hands-on demonstration of how to safely respond if you see a child alone in a hot car, including window breaker and seat belt cutter rescue tools attendees can try for themselves.

Attendees will also get a look at Kia's available Rear Occupant Alert technology, which reminds drivers to check the back seat after they've parked.

Event Details

• What: Live hot car temperature demonstration

• When: Wednesday, August 19, 2026, 11:30 AM

• Where: Oakes Kia, 2900 Burlington Street, North Kansas City, MO 64116

• Who: Open to media and the public

This event builds on Oakes Auto Group's ongoing sponsorship of Kids and Car Safety and its broader commitment to child passenger safety in the Kansas City community, including car seat check events held in partnership with local fire departments.

For more information about hot car safety, visit www.KidsandCarSafety.org.

About Oakes Auto Group
Oakes Auto Group was founded in 2010 in Olathe, KS, as an independent automotive dealership by Dan Oakes. The Oakes Auto Group is proud to support numerous local organizations such as KCMO Angels, Ronald McDonald House Charities-Kansas City, Toys for Tots, local animal shelters, Operation Breakthrough, and many others.

About Kids and Car Safety
Kids and Car Safety is a national nonprofit dedicated to preventing injuries and deaths of children in and around vehicles through education, advocacy, and research.