In the fourth week of July 2019, we were faced with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. In such temperatures, a parked car quickly turns into a greenhouse. At an outside temperature of 30 degrees, the temperature in your car already rises to over 50 degrees.
In extreme outdoor temperatures of around 40 degrees, it can get well over 75 degrees in your car. That's almost as hot as a sauna! But even when it's only 20 degrees outside, it can get quite warm in your car after a while on a sunny day. Reason enough to take safety precautions when you go out. Especially if you are travelling with children and pets.
Greenhouse
Many people don't realise how quickly a car can heat up, and that it doesn't even need to be particularly warm outside for this to happen. The sun's UV radiation heats the air inside your car. Your car windows let sunlight in, but virtually no heat out. Because there is no air circulation inside your car, your car effectively becomes a greenhouse.
Tragic consequences
Recently, there have been reports in the media almost weekly about dogs being rescued from scorching hot cars by bystanders or the police. Also the story You will not have missed the story about the father who forgot his twins in the car and found his children lifeless after his workday. What we can learn from stories like these is that we must not be careless and must not underestimate the heat.
Protect your belongings
As well as people and pets, personal belongings in your car are also at risk in extreme temperatures. Your lip balm can start to melt at 25 degrees. At 30 degrees, chewing gum and sweets turn into a sticky mess. It's best not to expose electronics like your laptop, tablet or smartphone to temperatures above 35 degrees for too long. That forgotten bottle of water in your car acts like a magnifying glass and creates a fire hazard. Aerosol cans like deodorant or hairspray can even explode from 50 degrees.
… and your interior
Direct sunlight can also damage the interior of your car. Your dashboard, in particular, is exposed to a lot of sunlight. Because a dashboard is often black, and black absorbs all incoming radiation, too much sun exposure can cause your dashboard to weather or develop cracks over time. To prevent this, it's best to place a reflective screen on your dashboard or windscreen.
Be warned
If you want to protect your pets, children and personal belongings, simply parking your car in the shade and opening a window is not enough. Animals and children should never, under any circumstances, be left in a hot car. The temperature will likely rise faster than you think, and the heat tolerance of young children and dogs in particular is very low. A dog can suffer from heatstroke and even die within fifteen minutes. Also, do not leave electronics, aerosol cans, or water bottles in your car. Finally, always lock your car, even when it's on your driveway, to prevent playing children from locking themselves inside.
Did you know that in some American states it's a criminal offence to rescue a child from a hot car (in which case you must immediately call the police), but you are allowed to smash a window to save a dog or other animal from its predicament? Bizarre, isn't it?!
