Australian Summers reach very high temperatures. We already know that the heats that can build up inside a parked car are incredibly dangerous for children and pets but did you know there are some common household items that are a no no as well.

Apart from the most obvious things like wallets and handbags which encourage theft, there are also a number of items commonly left in motor vehicles which experts are advising against.
- Anything with rechargeable batteries. Phones, chargers, E cigarettes, rechargeable toys like RC cars, E bikes and alike are all a fire risk if left in motor vehicles. Extreme temperatures can cause the batteries in electronic devises to ignite.
Fire fighting services in Victoria quote on average one call out a day caused by a rechargeable battery causing a vehicle fire. - Glasses
The high temperatures can cause the plastic components to sunglasses and prescription glasses to soften resulting in them distorting. Leaving them in direct sunlight does also pose a fire risk particularly with lower quality products. The sunlight effect can act the same way a magnifying glass does which can cause fire risks. - Aerosol Cans.
Higher temperatures cause the contents of aerosol cans to expand. In extreme cases the cans can explode. The ramifications of this are obvious, you effectively have a homemade hand grenade in your car.
4. Medication.
High temperatures can cause medications to become less effective or in some cases completely useless if left in parked motor vehicles for too long . Research carried out in the United states has determined that temperatures reached in parked motor vehicles renders most medications less effective and in some cases actually harmful.
5. Sun Screen
Sunscreen is often kept in Australian motor vehicles as we love to frequent outdoor activities. Unfortunately, the temperatures inside a parked motor vehicle cause the chemical components of sunscreen to breakdown, making it ineffective as a UV protectant.
To Quote Dr Josheph Chao “This leads to inadequate protection from harmful UV light and subsequent sun burns, which is a risk factor for skin cancer development”