Summer has arrived, and hot temperatures have begun to climb. Additionally, so has the number of infant and pet deaths due to being left inside hot vehicles. There is no excuse for leaving an animal or child alone in a hot car, even for a moment. The temperature inside your car can rise to a dangerous level faster than you can shop.
To understand the dangers associated with leaving children in hot cars, you must also understand that children regulate heat much less efficiently than adults. Children sweat less than adults, making it harder for their bodies to cool down. Additionally, their tolerance for heat is lower, meaning they feel hotter sooner. It can only take a few minutes for children to experience heat stroke- a sometimes fatal heat illness. Symptoms of heat stroke include dizziness, disorientation, seizure, loss of consciousness, a body temperature greater than 104 degrees Fahrenheit, and possibly death.
How does the temperature in your car rise so quickly? It all has to do with short and long-wave energy. Energy from the sun is a form of short-wave energy and enters your car through the windows, even when they are rolled up. The materials inside your vehicle give off long-wave energy as the sun heats them, but there is nowhere for the long-wave energy to go. Therefore, the temperature inside your car continues to rise, and so does the risk of death for anyone left inside the vehicle.
If you see child or pet left alone in a vehicle on a warm day, do something! Call 911 and report the incident immediately. If you have the ability to get them out of the car, do so. You could save a life! If you need insurance assistance, please contact the Bob Wolfgram Agency, located in Wisconsin! Our qualified, friendly insurance professionals are able to fulfill all of your insurance needs!
