With summertime quickly approaching and the temperatures going up, it’s time to revisit one of the warnings that go along with this time of year.
Every year, some absentminded parent or pet owner does not think about how hot it gets inside their car when it is sitting in the direct sunlight of a parking lot. As a result, they think it is okay to leave their young child or pet in the car while they go into the store for a few minutes. Even with the windows cracked, temperatures in the car get up to a blistering heat that can kill kids and pets in a short time.
“There’s a misconception that if we crack the windows of our vehicle that it will alleviate that heat build up, actually cracking a window does very little to alleviate that heat buildup,” said Captain Clint Smith with the United Fire Authority.
Even though you may think the temperature is not so bad, it could be worse for your young kids. The core temperature of a child increases much faster than it does for an adult, making it more dangerous for them to be left in a hot place from which they cannot escape. They can suffer permanent brain damage in as little time as 10 minutes if the temperature is high enough!
Don’t take a chance with your child’s or pet’s life. If you cannot take them inside where you are going, do not take them with you in your Pontiac cars. It’s simply too much of a risk to take.
