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Summer Poses Dangerous Temperature Risks for

Pets and Children

Summer tends to be the time of year when a great emphasis is put on the risks of

leaving pets or children in a car. Of course, there are always dangers associated

with this, but summer poses the additional risks associated with the increased

temperatures. To demonstrate this, MadgeTech conducted an experiment using

data loggers to determine how hot it can get inside a car.

What we measured

For this investigation, two Temp101A data loggers were used. One was placed inside of the car, and one outside of the car.

The car, along with both loggers, were placed out of direct sunlight with the car windows open approximately two inches.

The study was conducted from 10AM until 2PM, when the data was uploaded into the MadgeTech Software and analyzed. The results are shown below.

What we found

Despite being parked in the shade and having the windows slightly opened, the temperature in the car still averaged over 10

°F warmer than the outside temperature. At 12:30PM when it was 87.68 °F outside, inside the car rose to a whopping 105.23

°F, almost 20 °F higher than the outside temperature. The temperature inside the car continued to rise for the remainder of the study reaching a high of 108 °F at 2PM.

Of course, during this experiment, the car was empty, but had there been a child or animal inside, the results would have

been devastating. In humans, body temperature is supposed to remain at 98.6 °F, however, when the environment the body

is in rises above this, the possibility for complications rises. Staying hydrated helps with this, but when the core body

temperature rises above 105 °F, heat stroke occurs. This is characterized by headaches, dizziness, nausea and unconsciousness. If left untreated, heat stroke can eventually lead to death.

This experiment was conducted taking precautions to keep the car cool; parking in the shade and leaving the windows

cracked open to provide some airflow. However, even with these safeguards, the inside of the car rose to dangerous

temperatures. Had the car been in direct sunlight with the windows rolled up, the temperatures in the car would have been considerably higher.

As seen through many tragedies in the past, cars can be dangerous places for pets and children in the summer, and the

correct precautions should be taken to protect them.