No, don’t leave your child or pet in the car, even with the AC on. Here’s why.
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Vehicle interiors can reach deadly temperatures in under 30 minutes, even with AC on
- North Carolina law allows bystanders to intervene if a child is trapped in a hot car
- Caregivers urged to adopt habits that prevent forgetting children in rear seats
It was 91 degrees in Wake Forest on Tuesday, but the temperature inside the car was over 140 degrees. And it had likely taken less than an hour to get there.
According to No Heat Stroke, the temperature in a vehicle in 90-degree weather can rise 35 degrees in 30 minutes. Even cars in 70-degree weather can reach 110 degrees in 45 minutes.
Wake County and the town of Wake Forest held a community event at the Wake County Northern Regional Center on Tuesday on the danger of leaving children and pets in cars during the heat.
Last year, 41 children in the United States died from heatstroke after being left in a hot car, a 41% increase from 2023.
This year, 15 children, including one in North Carolina, have already died, according to Kids and Car Safety. A woman is accused of leaving a 7-month-old baby she was fostering in her car in June in Hamlet, which is between Charlotte and Fayetteville.
Clarence Kinley, Wake County Animal Control supervisor, said four animals died in hot cars last year. Two have already died this year.
When can I safely leave a child or animal in the car?
Never.
No toddler, disabled person or pet should ever be left in a vehicle in warm weather — or even in the winter, according to the National Weather Service.
What if I roll the window down or leave the AC on?
Diana Brown-Diaz, a car seat technician at Wake County Health and Human Services, said rolling down a window doesn’t help. Heat still gets trapped inside. Dark-colored cars, and leather seats and dashboards get hotter faster.
Don’t count on air conditioning either. AC systems can malfunction, said Animal Services Director Jennifer Federico, and children can turn them off.
In June 2024, a woman in Mecklenburg County was arrested for allegedly leaving her 8-year-old in her car while she went to work. She said she had left the AC on but that the child had turned it off.
In the summer months, Federico said, it also becomes harder for dogs like pugs, bulldogs and frenchies to breathe because of their nose structures.
“Down here in the South, there is no safe practice to leave your pet in the vehicle,” she said.
What should I do if I see a child or pet in a hot car?
Children do not regulate their body temperature as well as adults. They also have less capacity to release heat by sweating, according to the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard.
If you see a child or pet in a hot car, call 911 immediately. North Carolina law allows bystanders to forcibly enter a vehicle to remove a child from a hot car.
After you’ve called the police, Federico said, ask store employees to make an announcement alerting shoppers.
What does the law say about leaving a child in the car?
How can I protect my pets?
Leave them home, Federico said.
Even outside of the vehicle, heat can negatively affect them. When walking dogs, Federico advises, place the back side of your hand on the ground. If it is too hot to hold your hand there, then it’s too hot to walk your dog on it, she said.
Instead, walk your dog on grass, buy boots to protect their paws or walk them in the early morning or late evening.
For more tips on pet safety, check out our other N&O story.
What is the most common reason given for leaving children in hot vehicles?
Brown-Diaz said the most common reason children suffer in hot vehicles is because their parents forget they’re there. This can happen especially when parents’ schedules change and they are not used to their child being with them.
To help remember your child or pet is in the car, give yourself a reminder, like taking off one shoe and putting it in the back seat. When you retrieve your shoe, you will see your passenger.
This story was originally published July 17, 2025 at 7:00 AM with the headline "No, don’t leave your child or pet in the car, even with the AC on. Here’s why.."
