Summer heat and your car

A parked car heats up fast in the sun. The temperature inside can rise 20 degrees in as little as 10 minutes and 50 degrees in an hour, even when it's only in the 70s outside. A young child's body warms three to five times faster than an adult's.

Children and the back seat

• Never leave a child alone in the car, even briefly
• Don't count on cracked windowsLeaving the windows open a little does almost nothing to keep a car cool.
• Put a reminder in the back seatA bag, a phone or a shoe in the back seat makes you look there before you walk away. Or keep a stuffed animal in the empty car seat and move it to the front seat when the child is buckled in.
• Lock the car, and keep the keys and remote fobs away from children
• Teach children that a car is never a place to play
• Ask the school or child care to call if your child doesn't arrive
• Check the car and the trunk if a child goes missingCheck any pool first, then the car.
• Call 911 right away for a child alone in a hot car

From 1998 to 2016, 700 people died in the U.S. after being left in hot cars. Half were children forgotten by a parent or caregiver. Most of the rest were children who climbed into an unattended car while playing. Pets shouldn't be left in a parked car in summer either.

Tires

• Check the pressure coldOn a hot day, that means before you drive, after the car has sat for at least three hours. Pressure rises one to two psi for every 10 degrees warmer.
• Use the door-jamb numberThe right pressure is usually on a sticker in the driver's door jamb or the glove box.
• Check the pressure before a loaded summer tripAn underinflated tire builds up too much heat, so check before you carry a heavy load or tow a trailer.
• Look for bulges, cuts and cracks once a month

The air conditioning and the fuel bill

• Park in the shade or use a sunshadeThe cabin won't get as hot, so the air conditioning has less work to do.
• Windows down in town, air conditioning on the highwayAt low speeds, open windows use less fuel. At highway speeds, the air conditioning is the better choice. In very hot weather, it can cut a gas car's fuel economy by more than 25 percent.
• Pre-cool an EV while it's plugged inCooling the cabin while the car is still charging can extend its range.