As summer approaches, keep in mind that temperatures inside your vehicle can rise quickly: up to 19 degrees in ten minutes, and up to 30 degrees in 20 minutes.
Even if it’s 70 degrees outside, the interior of the car can climb to almost 100 degrees in a short time.
Leaving the windows cracked has little or no effect. The car’s interior experiences a “greenhouse effect,” where the sun’s heat gets trapped inside the vehicle. Paint color, upholstery, window tinting and more add heat to the interior.
Children are especially vulnerable, because they don’t regulate heat like adults do. Brain and organ damage can occur after just 15 minutes. Pets are even more susceptible: their sweat glands are inadequate for cooling during hot days, and heatstroke can happen within minutes.
- Never, ever leave your child or your pet in your car unattended.
- Never assume you’ll be “in and out” of a store in just a few minutes.
- Do not underestimate how quickly the temperatures inside a car can rise, regardless of the outside temperatures.
- If you see a child or a pet alone inside a hot vehicle, always call 911.
