SAN DIEGO — Every summer, children and pets die from heat-related illnesses when left in the car. Even running into a store for a few minutes can cost a life.
The Rancho Coastal Humane Society held a demonstrated on Tuesday to show just how hot it can get.
The temperature started at 80 degrees. In about 20 seconds, it already reached 91 degrees. A little more than a minute in, the temperature was at 105 degrees.
The temperature reached 110 degrees inside the car after just two minutes of being inside.
“Dogs have fur, kids are wearing a lot of clothing usually,” Kelly Peters with the Rancho Coastal Humane Society said.
Peters had the option to get out of the car, but children and pets don’t. The demonstration showed just how fast a car heats up, even after a minute.
Deaths from people and pets being left inside the hot car are common in the hot summer months. In June, a two-month-old baby died after being left in a car for nine hours in Santee.
But what if the windows are cracked or left open? Temperature tests in the past showed it lowers the car temperature slightly, but not by much. In a previous demonstration, John Van Zante with the Rancho Coastal Humane Society said they left all the windows open about five inches. He said it dropped the temperature from 165 degrees to 160.
“I think if the windows were cracked it would’ve been a nice breeze but it wouldn’t have removed the issue of heat,” Peters said after getting out of the car.
What about leaving the air conditioning on? Leaving the AC on means leaving the car engine running.
“What if your dog goes and puts the car in gear? What if you go into the store and you're there for a half an hour? When do cars tend to fail more? On the hot days,” Van Zante said.
The biggest lesson from the demonstration is to not take a chance when leaving your car with anyone inside it, even for a few minutes.
“We can make a difference, we can inform people,” Van Zante said. “Everybody is not going to believe us, but we can save lives by telling this story.”
If you see a child or pet in a car, the first thing to do is look for the car owner. If you’re near a store, go inside and ask the manager to make an announcement. Also, find a witness to confirm what you saw. If you can’t find the car owner, call 911.
“I can't imagine, for myself, personally, being in a parking lot and standing there watching a baby or a dog die in a car and not doing anything about it,” Van Zante said.
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