Never Leave Them Behind: The Deadly Danger of Parked Cars in Summer Heat

As temperatures soar during the South Carolina summer, local officials are reminding residents of a tragic yet preventable danger: leaving children or pets in parked vehicles. Even for just a few minutes, the consequences can be fatal.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a vehicle’s interior temperature can rise nearly 20 degrees within just 10 minutes—even when parked in the shade or with windows cracked. On a typical 90-degree day, the inside of a car can reach a deadly 130 degrees in under half an hour.

Children’s bodies heat up three to five times faster than adults. That means a child left in a hot car—even for a brief stop at the store—is at serious risk of heatstroke, brain damage, or death. The same applies to pets, who cannot regulate their body temperature as effectively and can suffer irreversible organ damage within minutes.

Emergency responders stress that there is no safe amount of time to leave a child or animal in a parked vehicle during hot weather. Each year, dozens of children die in hot cars across the U.S., often because of brief distractions or changes in routine. Many of these tragedies occur when a parent or caregiver forgets a sleeping child is in the backseat.

To help prevent these tragedies:

• Always check the back seat before locking and leaving your car.

• Place a personal item (like your purse, briefcase, or phone) in the backseat as a reminder.

• Use apps or car seat alarms designed to alert you if a child is left behind.

• If you see a child or pet alone in a vehicle, call 911 immediately. South Carolina law allows bystanders to act in good faith to rescue a person or pet from a hot car.

Local law enforcement urges all residents to take this risk seriously. “It only takes minutes for a car to turn deadly,” said one Laurens County first responder. “Don’t assume you’ll be quick. Don’t leave them behind. It’s not worth the risk.”

For more information on heatstroke prevention and safety tips, visit www.safercar.gov/heatstroke.

Bottom Line: In summer heat, even a minute is too long. When it comes to the lives of children and animals, there are no second chances. Always check, always be sure—and never leave them in the car.