The arrival of summer means family outings, long car rides and vacations. And while summer is a lot of fun, it also brings a lot of heat, especially inside a vehicle.

On an average summer day, the temperature inside a car can quickly rise above 140 degrees Fahrenheit (even with the windows rolled down a little). Even mild days can see a car’s interior quickly become heat traps. Besides being life-threatening, these temperatures can lead to a high fever, dehydration, seizures and stroke.

Keep your kids safe this summer by practicing the five car safety tips mentioned below.

1. Never Leave Your Children in Your Car Unattended

Even if you’re running a quick errand, never leave your children alone in your car!

A difference of three minutes on a hot day results in your car’s interior temperatures of increasing over 20 degrees. Your child is at a greater risk of heatstroke, hyperthermia and even death in this situation.

2. Educate Your Kids About Car Safety

From a young age, warn your kids about playing in the car by themselves without you knowing. Do your part to ensure that this doesn’t happen by keeping your car locked and keys out of reach.

Ask your mechanic about installing a trunk release mechanism to prevent your kids from getting trapped inside.

3. Always Double-Check Your Car

Even though it may seem unfathomable, unintentionally leaving a child in the back seat of your car has happened. Schedules are busy, people are in a hurry, and tragedy has occurred because of this.

Begin a regular habit – such as placing a small toy in your child’s car seat when it’s empty and moving it to the dashboard when your child is in the vehicle – to act as a reminder to remove your children from your vehicle.

Every time you park your vehicle, check the back door to ensure your children are out. Even if you aren’t driving with your children, doing this every time will help to instill the habit.

4. Remove Your Children First

Have a trunk full of groceries and shopping bags?

Before you start bringing any of your vehicle’s contents into your home, get your kids out of your car first.

5. Cool Your Car Off Before Leaving Home

If your car has been sitting outside in the sun for hours on black asphalt, think how hot it could be inside!

Open the vehicle’s windows and turn on the A/C to cool off the car before placing your kids inside. If you think that your vehicle’s air conditioning system is not functioning properly, get it looked right away by a qualified mechanic.

Based in Waterdown, Ontario, the professionals at Waterdown Collision have years of experience in air conditioning repairs. They know just what to do to get your vehicle back in proper working order and can provide you with a rental in the meantime.

We work hard to ensure that your family stays as cool as possible while driving this summer!