At least 14 children have died in hot cars so far this year

A baby in California died last week after his mother left him and his 2-year-old sibling inside a car while she was getting lip filler at a Bakersfield medical spa on a 101-degree day, authorities said.

Bakersfield Police criticized Maya Hernandez for placing the value of her appearance over the safety and well-being of her children in a report filed in Kern County Superior Court.

It was the latest in a series of similar deaths. In Belcamp, Maryland,a 6-month-old babydied on Sunday after it was left insidea vehicle. In Silver Spring, Maryland, a baby died under similar circumstances on May 7.

There have been at least 14 such deaths so far this year.

Nationwide, at least 1,139 children have died in hot cars since 1990 and at least another 7,500 survived with varying injuries, according todatacollected by the non-profit Kids and Car Safety.

Approximately 88% of children who die in hot cars are age 3 or younger and the majority (55%) were unknowingly left by an otherwise loving, responsible parent or caregiver.

90 minutes in a hot car

It is estimated that Hernandezs children were in the vehicle without air-conditioning for 90 minutes, wrote Det. Kyle McNabb, noting that the internal temperature of a car can rise to a blistering 143 degrees in just one hour of 100-degree weather.

Denial rates vary widely, with two Michigan metros having the highest denial rates

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

After decades of attempts to level the housing playing field, Black Americans still face a harder path to home ownership than whites, with Black applicants being 1.7 times more likely to be turned down.

Detroit and Grand Rapids, Mich., had the highest denial rates in the nationwide survey conducted for LendingTree.

High mortgage denial rates along with limited generational wealth, income disparities and discriminatory practices are amongthe persistent challenges that keep the Black home ownership rate lower than that of other racial groups.

But these disparities arent uniform. Denial rates and the gaps between Black and overall applicants vary widely across the country.

LendingTree chief consumer finance analyst Matt Schulz says a higher denial rate for Black consumers means limited access to thebenefits of owning a home.

For generations, homeownership has been one of the most powerful tools for building wealth that Americans have. Home ownership isnt cheap, and there are ongoing costs; however, the equity that you can build over the years can be incredibly helpful. Not only can it provide you funding when youre in a financial pinch, but it can also be used in working toward other financial goals, Schulz says.

Key findings

Black homebuyer denial rate is 19.00% nationally

Black mortgage applicants are 1.7 times more likely to be denied a home loan than all homebuyers. In 2024, the mortgage denial rate for Black Americans was 19.00%, 7.73 percentage points higher than the denial rate for all applicants, 11.27%.

In what is perhaps a sign of progress, the denial rate disparity between Black and all mortgage applicants in the 50 largest metros decreased from 5.30 percentage points in 2022 to 4.80 percentage points in 2024.

Mortgage denial rates across 50 largest metros: All buyers vs. Black buyers

Source: LendingTree analysis of 2024 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data.

While the difference in denial rates between Black homebuyers and all buyers has narrowed slightly, the home ownership gap remains wide. The national home ownership rate in 2023 was 65.2%, yet it was 44.7% among Black consumers significantly lower than the rate among white (72.4%), Asian (63.4%) and Hispanic (51.0%) households.

The U.S. EV market is mostly restricted to large, expensive SUVs

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

• U.S. EV buyers face a market dominated by costly SUVs and trucks, with few affordable options under $30,000.

• China churns out low-cost electric cars, some under $10,000, fueling exports to Southeast Asia, Europe, and beyond.

• Regulatory hurdles and consumer preferences keep most of these bargain EVs out of American showroomsfor now.

As electric vehicles gain ground globally, a stark divide is emerging: American roads are filling up with large, expensive electric SUVs and trucks, while China and other overseas markets enjoy a flood of low-cost EVs aimed at budget-conscious drivers.

In the United States, automakers have focused on high-margin models like the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and Teslas SUV lineup, often priced well above $40,000. Smaller, inexpensive EVs remain scarce, leaving many American consumers unable to find truly affordable electric alternatives.

Meanwhile, China has become a powerhouse of cheap electric mobility, producing dozens of models that cost less than $15,000or even under $5,000 in some cases, like the wildly popular Wuling Hongguang Mini EV. These vehicles are increasingly finding buyers outside China, particularly in Southeast Asia, Europe, and Latin America, where city-friendly size and low prices make them attractive.

European streets, for example, now host models like the MG4 and BYD Dolphin, offering affordable electric options far below typical U.S. price points.

Nissan's N7

Nissan has successfully developed and introduced the N7 mid-sized electric sedan. It'sselling well in China and Nissan now plans to export it to other globalmarkets, except for the U.S.

Some reviewers have said the N7 resembles a newer Nissan Altima. "It's a clean, if nondescript sedan with headlights clearly inspired by the Ariya," the car site CarBuzz said.

Despite this growing output inexpensive Chinese EVs abroad, most are unlikely to reach American shores soon, hampered by steep tariffs, safety regulations, and geopolitical tensions.

However, industry watchers say the tide could slowly shift, with companies like GM teasing sub-$35,000 EVs for the U.S. market in coming years. For now, the gap between Americas pricey EV landscape and the bargain-filled markets overseas remains as wide as ever.

Employee-pricing with no money down promo extended

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs