It seems like yesterday we were pulling on sweaters, grateful for that rare break from Florida’s heat and humidity. But if there’s anything true about Florida weather, it’s that it never sits still for long. Just like that, the heat is back, heavy, relentless, and hard to ignore.
Let’s talk about something serious: hot cars and the real danger they pose to kids and pets. The rise in temperature inside a parked car is surprisingly fast. In just ten minutes, the interior heats by 20 degrees. Give it an hour, and you’re looking at a temperature jump of 50 degrees or more.
Along the Southwest coast, the coming week is shaping up to be dangerously hot. The Climate Prediction Center already flagged parts of Florida for extreme heat between June 17 and June 20. And when that heat index pushes into the triple digits, it doesn’t matter how used to Florida summers you are; this kind of heat demands caution.
You can’t risk it, not even for a moment. Leaving a child or pet in a locked car, even for a few minutes, can turn deadly. Say it’s 90 degrees outside. In half an hour, the temperature inside a car shoots up to 130 degrees. Rolling down the windows a crack? It barely helps. Heat pours in far faster than it can escape.
And that’s just the air temperature. The surfaces inside a car get even hotter. Arizona State University research found that after an hour in the sun, a dashboard can hit 157 degrees, and a steering wheel can reach 127 degrees.
Basically, your car becomes a greenhouse: sunlight streams in, heat gets trapped, and the temperature inside rockets up. Parking in the shade might slow this down a little, but it doesn’t prevent it. The risk remains.
Never leave a child or pet alone in a car. Build habits that keep you from forgetting: place your bag, phone, or something you need in the back seat, right next to them. Make it second nature to look before you lock up.
Since 1998, over a thousand children in the US have died from heatstroke after being left in cars. Every single one is a tragedy. With summer heat, vigilance saves lives. Always check every time.
