On a hot day, the internal temperature in a parked car can climb 19 degrees above the outdoor temperature in just 10 minutes. So, if the temperature outside is 90 degrees, in 10 minutes, the temperature in a car could reach 109 degrees.
This happens because of the greenhouse effect. The sunlight goes through the windows and heats up the inside of the car, and the glass traps in the heat.
As of July 2023, there have been 13 pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths in the United States. Most commonly, the children were left unknowingly in the vehicle. Some got in on their own.
Make sure to lock car doors and keep keys out of the reach of children so they do not get inside the car by themselves. Get in the habit of checking the entire car before locking the doors and walking away. It may help to place a purse, briefcase, jacket or other personal items in the backseat to remind you to take another look before you leave the car.
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Animals in a parked car can suffer heat-related illness or death within 15 minutes. Cracking a window is not effective because conditions inside the vehicle can still become dangerously hot.
Heat related illness and deaths are 100% preventable.
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