In the midst of summer, many regions around the world are experiencing scorching hot weather. The intense heat not only affects human health but also brings risks for drivers. One important thing for drivers to be aware of is what everyday items should not be left in a car exposed to the blazing sun. Keeping certain daily items inside a car can pose potential dangers.
As temperatures rise, reaching as high as 31 degrees Celsius at times, staying hydrated is crucial. But does leaving a bottle of water inside a car pose a fire hazard?
Drivers are being cautioned that leaving a plastic water bottle in their car could result in losses. David Richardson, the administrative chief of the Midwest City Fire Department in Oklahoma, USA, explained the risks of how a water bottle can ignite a fire.
He mentioned that one unexpected risk is that a water bottle, especially a clear bottle containing liquid, may lead to a fire due to the reflective properties of the bottle and liquid, which can heat nearby objects enough to ignite a fire.
“This possibility is small, but not impossible,” he said. Richardson conducted tests in 2017 to confirm his findings.
In a widely circulated video from 2017, Dioni Amuchastegui, a technician from an Idaho power company, described his experience of his truck seat smoking due to a water bottle.
“I was having lunch in the truck at the time. I happened to notice some smoke out of the corner of my eye and when I looked, I saw the sunlight refracting through the water bottle starting to ignite the seat,” explained Amuchastegui.
He demonstrated in the video that the water bottle was in the direct path of sunlight entering through the driver’s side window. He noted that the seat felt hot to the touch.
Furthermore, in a hot car under the blazing sun, bottled water can also impact human health. Toxicologist and board-certified emergency medicine physician Stephanie Widmer informed ABC News that the manufacturing process of the bottle, chemical composition, external temperature, and the duration of exposure to high temperatures could lead to water being contaminated with toxins.
Widmer mentioned that while research and expert opinions vary, the risk is not zero. She added that it is best to avoid consuming beverages in plastic bottles exposed to high temperatures until more conclusive research results are available.
Richardson stated that electronic products with lithium batteries, such as e-cigarettes, electric scooters, or toys, left in a hot car can also be dangerous.
Experts warn against leaving other everyday items in a car exposed to the sun, including aerosol cans, canned and bottled sodas, and lighters, as these items pose an explosion risk. Sunscreen, medications, and alcohol could spoil in high temperatures, while glasses and sunglasses could melt and deform.