Be smart — don’t leave your child or pet in a hot car

Summer is in full swing and so are hot temperatures. Tragically, we are hearing about more and more emergencies where children and pets are left unattended in hot cars. 

Most recently, a Maryland man visiting relatives on Long Island was arrested after Suffolk County police said he left his 2-year-old daughter locked in his pickup while he went shopping at Marshalls. Police said temperatures in the truck reached close to 120 degrees. Fortunately, police rescued the child.

Whether it’s because a driver forgot a child was inside the vehicle, or a kid was able to get into an unlocked car without their parents’ knowledge — or simply a case of bad parenting — within minutes, a child can be in danger if left in hot car. Let me be clear: It is never OK to leave kids or pets in a car — even with the windows down.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, when outside temperatures are 80 to 100 degrees, cars parked in direct sunlight can reach internal temperatures of 131 to 170 degrees. Sometimes, outside temperatures in the 60s can cause internal car temperatures to rise well above 110. Even with the window rolled down two inches, this can happen in as little as 15 minutes. For example, on a sunny day that is just 72 degrees, the inside temperature can increase by 30 to 40 degrees in an hour, and 70 percent of this increase occurs the first 30 minutes.

If anyone’s body temperature exceeds 104 degrees, there’s a risk of having a heat stroke with the possibility of irreversible brain damage.

There are increased health risks for small children. There is no safe amount of time to leave children alone in a car, as kids are more susceptible and at higher risk for heat-related illness and injury than adults. An infant’s body temperature rises three times faster than an adult’s. Their bodies make more heat relative to their size, and their ability to cool through sweating is not as developed as adults. 

 As a result, just a few minutes can be extremely dangerous — even fatal — for a small child. So, as you park your car in the heat this summer, be safe and follow these tips. 

n Never leave your child unattended in a vehicle.