LYNCHBURG, Va. – As temperatures near record-highs in the region, the Virginia Department of Transportation is warning people to never leave a child or pet in the car.
On Friday afternoon, VDOT used a WSLS News car to demonstrate how quickly temperatures can rise behind the glass and how deadly the temperatures can be.
The car was cooled down to 70 degrees before being shut off. It only took about 28 minutes before the temperature in the car shot up to 110 degrees.
“It’s easy to forget. When we talk about backseat safety, no kids and pets in hot cars, that means never leave them in the car,” Len Stevens with the Lynchburg VDOT District said. “Even if you’re just going to run into the store and do a quick errand or something that you think is only going to take a little bit of time. We saw how quickly, 40 degrees in about 28 minutes, how quickly this car heated up.”
VDOT suggests leaving keys or a phone in the backseat as a reminder to turn around and to consider smart car seat options for your child.