Keep Kids and Pets Safe: Hot Car Dangers in Bay County’s 90-Degree Heat

July 11, 2025

by Janet Pattison

BAY COUNTY, FL - As summer temperatures soar into the 90s in Bay County, Florida, parents and pet owners must stay vigilant to prevent tragic hot car incidents.

Cars can become deadly ovens in minutes. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a vehicle’s interior can heat up by 20 degrees in just 10 minutes when outside temperatures are in the 90s. In Bay County’s sweltering climate, a car parked in the sun can reach 130°F or higher, even with windows partially open. Children and pets are especially vulnerable, as their bodies overheat faster than adults’. Tragically, heatstroke can set in quickly, leading to severe injury or death.

To protect your loved ones, adopt these safety habits. Never leave a child or pet in a parked car, even briefly—cracked windows do not provide enough ventilation. Always check the back seat before locking your vehicle; use reminders like placing a bag, phone or purse in the back to prompt a check. Teach children not to play in or around cars and keep vehicles locked to prevent them from climbing inside. For pets, ensure they have water and shade if outside, and avoid leaving them unattended in cars altogether.

On very hot days, if you see a child or pet alone in a hot car, act immediately. Call 911, as time is critical. Florida law protects good Samaritans who take reasonable action to rescue children or animals from hot cars. Stay alert in parking lots at places like grocery stores or beaches, where distractions are common.

"IMMUNITY FOR DAMAGE TO MOTOR VEHICLE.—A person who enters a motor vehicle, by force or otherwise, for the purpose of removing a vulnerable person or domestic animal is immune from civil liability for damage to the motor vehicle if the person:
(a) Determines the motor vehicle is locked or there is otherwise no reasonable method for the vulnerable person or domestic animal to exit the motor vehicle without assistance.
(b) Has a good faith and reasonable belief, based upon the known circumstances, that entry into the motor vehicle is necessary because the vulnerable person or domestic animal is in imminent danger of suffering harm.
(c) Ensures that law enforcement is notified or 911 called before entering the motor vehicle or immediately thereafter.
(d) Uses no more force to enter the motor vehicle and remove the vulnerable person or domestic animal than is necessary.
(e) Remains with the vulnerable person or domestic animal in a safe location, in reasonable proximity to the motor vehicle, until law enforcement or other first responder arrives." Statute 768.139

Sponsored by Pons III Childcare at 100 B Jazz Drive, Panama City, FL, this notice highlights the critical need to never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles, even for a moment.

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