Many drivers incorrectly believe that the interiors of vehicles do not heat up quickly on a summer day or that cracking one or more windows when they leave children and/or pets behind is enough to keep air circulating until they return. These drivers also foolishly believe they will return as planned between a few seconds and ten minutes later.
Dr. Ernie Ward, a veterinarian, decided to sit in a parked car on a normal summer day wearing lightweight scrubs with four windows cracked open about 1 1/2 to 2 inches for 30 minutes — the actual length of time most people find themselves away from their vehicles no matter how well they plan. The interior temperature when he started his experiment was around 94 degrees Fahrenheit.
Five minutes into the video, the temperature increased to 99 degrees. Five more minutes later, the temperature increased 7 degrees to 106 degrees. Dr. Ward then mentioned that he could see an outdoor breeze, but there was no air movement inside the vehicle. At 15 minutes, the temperature reached 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
He emphasized that the temperature would be extremely bad for small and older dogs. At 25 minutes, Dr. Ward’s scrubs were soaked through with sweat and the vehicle interior reached 113 degrees. He mentioned how much he is sweating and then pointed out that a dog can’t perspire like a human to cool off. When Dr. Ward finally hit the 30 minute mark, the temperature reached almost 117 degrees Fahrenheit.