Summer's hidden danger: How parked cars turn into deadly traps
The weather across Canada is genuinely beginning to feel like summer, and the interiors of cars left in the sun are warming up to levels that could be dangerous for people or animals inside.
The exterior air temperature doesn't have to be exceptionally high for a car's interior to become dangerously hot. If it's a cooler yet sunny and clear day, and your vehicle is dark-coloured, then just a few minutes of parking in an unshaded spot can cause the interior temperature to rise significantly.
Values in the 40-60 degrees Celsius range inside a car are expected on a hot day when the vehicle is exposed to direct sunlight. These temperatures can directly threaten the life or health of any human or animal inside.
It's not uncommon for a parent to leave the car for an extended period, perhaps only leaving the windows slightly open in hopes that it will prevent the interior from getting too hot. This is not sufficient.
If we come across such a situation, we are empowered in a so-called state of higher necessity to protect health or life to break into a car where a person or animal is in peril. The police stress that concerns over liability for property damage do not apply in these instances.
What consequences do drivers face when they leave a child or animal in an overheated car? For animal abuse, the penalty can be a fine, restrictions, or imprisonment for up to 3 years. Meanwhile, a guardian found guilty of endangering a child's health or life, as per Article 160 of the Penal Code, could face up to 5 years in prison.
