MUSKEGON, Mich. — At 104 degrees, heatstroke begins. At 107 degrees, it can be fatal — and your parked car can get there faster than you think.
It only takes a few moments for a cool, air-conditioned car to heat up once it is put in park, and that can become a potentially dangerous situation for young children, older adults and pets.
WATCH: 'It can happen quick': Muskegon officer shares what to know about hot car safety amid heat wave
Officer Simon Herrera with the City of Muskegon Police Department spoke about the importance of car safety as temperatures continue to rise in West Michigan's current heat wave.
"Car safety is super important right now in the heat, just a lot of people don't think about it all the time," Officer Herrera said. "They might leave their dog in the back seat and run in and get something from the gas station, or their kid, but it can happen quick, especially if the windows are all up and just the humidity, too. That doesn't help."
According to noheatstroke.org, when its 90 degrees outside, it can reach 107 degrees in your car in 10 minutes. And a child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration adds 1,051 children have died in hot cars due to pediatric vehicular heat stroke since 1998.
Just in 2025, 31 children died of heat stroke in vehicles.
Heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches about 104 degrees. Death can occur at around 107 degrees or higher.
So Officer Herrera said, as a general rule, "If you have AC, turn the AC on; if you don't, keep the windows open, the fans going."
"My rule of thumb is, I try to get half a gallon of water in me every day, so try to drink your water," Officer Herrera adds. "Stay inside, stay in the shade if you're not feeling like you're up for the heat, because it's gonna get worse."
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