The Ad Council and NHTSA Prevent Hot Car Deaths with New PSAs for "Never Happens" Campaign and Richard Scarry Partnership

On National Heatstroke Prevention Day, new PSAs remind parents and caregivers to never leave their children behind in a car.

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of National Heatstroke Prevention Day, the Ad Council and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) today launched new public service advertisements (PSAs) for their "Never Happens" campaign.

Pediatric vehicular heatstroke remains the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related fatalities for children 14 and younger and typically presents in one of three key scenarios: children forgotten in a car by a caregiver, children gaining access to unlocked vehicles on their own and being unable to get out, and children left behind in a car. The campaign features all three scenarios, with today's new PSAs focusing on being left behind.

"The tragic fact is, all hot car deaths are 100% preventable, regardless of how they unfold," said Michelle Hillman, chief campaign & program officer, the Ad Council. "By expanding the 'Never Happens' campaign with NHTSA, we are reinforcing a life–saving message for parents and caregivers nationwide: prevention starts with awareness and simple, consistent actions."

The new PSAs tell the story of parents who want the best for their kids. They never intend to put their children's health and safety at risk, even in small ways like letting them eat dessert for dinner or have hours of screen time. But real life can sometimes get in the way of the best intentions. Human moments of forgetfulness or hurry can turn tragic, especially if children are left behind in quickly overheating vehicles. By highlighting how easily "never" can happen, the new creative reinforces the behavior changes parents are encouraged to adapt to avoid putting their child at risk of heatstroke.

"Hot vehicles pose a serious and often underestimated danger to children," said Jonathan Morrison, NHTSA Administrator. "This campaign helps ensure families understand how these tragedies occur and gives parents the tools to prevent them. Remember: when you park, Stop. Look. Lock."

Developed pro bono by independent creative agency Chemistry, the new creative reminds busy, yet devoted parents that good intentions alone are not enough to prevent these tragedies, and that consistent habits are key to keeping children safe.

"As parents, we love to reassure ourselves that we would never let certain things happen to our families," said Chemistry Executive Creative Director, Mike Groenewald. "The unfortunate truth  is, 'never' happens more often than we'd like to think."

As part of the broader campaign effort, the Ad Council is also collaborating with Richard Scarry's Busy World^TM for a pro bono marketing partnership featuring the whimsical characters and silly vehicles that have delighted generations of families. By developing custom materials with these iconic images, the campaign's message will reach parents in a new and engaging format in preschools and daycares across the country.

The new "Never Happens" creative will run nationwide across donated media in both English and Spanish, including television, radio, digital, social, and out-of-home placements.

Important information about how to protect kids from the dangers of hot vehicles:

• Never leave your child alone in a car, even if you think you'll only be gone for a minute.
• Lock your car when you aren't using it. Even if you don't have a child of your own, a child in your neighborhood could get into your unlocked vehicle.
• Remember to always look in the backseat before you leave your vehicle to make sure your child has been dropped off at daycare or with a caregiver, not left behind in the car seat.
• Give yourself visual cues: Keep an item in the back seat, like a teddy bear, that you put up front with you whenever your child is in the car seat. Or, put your purse or phone in the back seat with the child.
• If you see a child in distress in a vehicle, ACT. Call 911 immediately and get help.
• Visit NHTSA.gov/Heatstroke to find more important information about preventing hot car injury and death.

About the Ad Council
The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and accelerating change. For more than 80 years, the nonprofit organization and its partners in advertising, media, marketing and tech have been behind some of the country's most iconic social impact campaigns – Smokey Bear, Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more.

To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council's communities on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, and view campaign creative on YouTube.

About NHTSA
For more than 50 years, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has served as the key federal agency charged with improving safety on our nation's roads. As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, NHTSA is working to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries by promoting the use of seat belts and child safety seats; helping states and local communities address the threat of distracted, drunk and drug-impaired drivers; regulating vehicle safety standards and investigating safety defects in motor vehicles; establishing and enforcing fuel economy standards; conducting research on driver behavior and traffic safety; and providing consumer information on issues ranging from child passenger safety to impaired driving. For more information visit www.nhtsa.gov.

About Chemistry
Chemistry is an independent, hybrid agency built on a foundation of constant experimentation and radical optimism. The agency operates at the intersection of creativity, technology, and culture, building culturally relevant brands through ideas that earn attention and drive results. With offices in Atlanta, New York, Pittsburgh, and Miami, Chemistry's fully integrated capabilities span strategy, creative, digital, media, production, and multicultural marketing. Clients include Coca-Cola, Comcast, Domino's, Five Guys, Frontdoor, Hanaford, Netflix, NFL, NBA, IHG Hotels and Resorts, and CG Insurance. The agency has twice been named an Ad Age A-List Agency, a Campaign US Independent Agency of the Year finalist, and recognized among Adweek's fastest-growing agencies.

Richard Scarry
Richard Scarry is one of the world's best-loved children's authors ever! In his extraordinary career, Scarry illustrated over 150 books, many of which have never been out of print. His books have sold over 160 million copies around the world and are currently published in over twenty languages. No other illustrator has shown such a lively interest in the words and concepts of early childhood. Richard Scarry was posthumously awarded a lifetime achievement award from the Society of Illustrators in 2012.

Random House Children's Books
Random House Children's Books (rhcbooks.com) is the world's largest English-language children's trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, and nonfiction, the imprints of Random House Children's Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. Random House Children's Books is a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

SOURCE The Ad Council