The danger of extreme heat in cars to kids and pets:
Hot cars can quickly become deadly for children and pets. On a hot day, the temperature inside a vehicle can quickly rise to dangerous levels for pets and people left inside even for ‘just a minute.’ If you leave a child or a pet in a car they can’t open the door, or let down the windows, or turn on the air conditioner. After 30 minutes the temperature inside the car can reach 117°F (47°C) on a hot day. A chart on the American Veterinary Medical Association’s website shows that on a 70°F day, the inside of a vehicle can reach almost 100°F in 20 minutes. This heat can cause your child or pet to have a heat stroke. Annually the average of children 15 or younger have lost their lives caused by a heat stroke after being left in a vehicle is 39. Almost every state in America has experienced at least one death since 1998. 2018 has set a record number of 53 children who died after being left in a hot vehicle, and 2019 follows right behind with 52 deaths.
