Threatening circulatory collapse in parked cars

Car club warns: Parked cars are a deadly heat trap

24/08/2011

During the summer, the car can quickly turn into a heat trap and cause a circulatory collapse in children or animals, the ADAC warns. After just 15 minutes, the conditions heat up in such a way that the sun's rays in a closed car cause serious health problems.

Circulatory problems due to overheating
Therefore, should „Children, needy seniors and animals currently under no circumstances - even during the short jump in bank or supermarket - alone in the car“, explained the ADAC. As the Automobile Club further announced, the surfaces in the car in direct sunlight quickly reach temperatures above 60 degrees Celsius and staying in the interior becomes a serious challenge to the constitution. After only 15 minutes, weakened persons, children and animals are threatened with serious circulatory problems and even circulatory collapse. Passersby are therefore required to intervene and the police are entitled to open the car by force because of the threat to the health of humans or animals, so the ADAC. According to the statement of the automobile club, the vehicle owners may even have to answer to the law in criminal proceedings.

Park cars in the shade
If people or animals need to be left in the car at short notice for important reasons (for example, medical emergencies), this should ideally be done not in the sun, but in the shade or partial shade. In addition, the surfaces in the car can be covered with cloths so that they heat up less, explained the ADAC. In addition, it is possible to open the windows slightly to provide air circulation in the interior. However, even if all precautions are taken, infants generally should never be left unattended in the car. Even in animals and slightly older adolescents, this can only be justified by urgently needed occasions. In general, the ADAC warning that children and animals in no way apply in summer „just short“ be left in the parked car.

Beware of excessive use of the air conditioning
In addition to the overheating of the interior, however, the excessive use of the air conditioning system can bring health problems, explains the ADAC. Due to excessive cooling of the interior in summery outdoor temperatures „threaten colds and circulatory problems“, warned the automobile club. The temperature difference between indoor and outdoor temperature should therefore not exceed six degrees, the ADAC continues. According to the experts, temperatures in the range between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius are ideal, depending on the individual temperature sensation. (Fp)

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Image: Thommy Weiss