By now, it should be common knowledge that you're not supposed to leave kids in the car when you go somewhere. But the sad truth is that some of us forget that. In fact, in 2013, at least 44 children died because they were left in a hot car, and there have been 2 child deaths in hot cars in 2014 (source)

I got a little curious. So now with summer coming up on us, I decided that I wanted to know exactly how hot it gets in a car in the summer.

I live in western Oklahoma. Here, it gets really, really hot during the summer. Today, the temperature peaked out at 100°F (37.8°C). Keep in mind that today is only May 5. It's normal for it to get around 110°F (43.3°C) for weeks at a time during June through August.

I picked a particularly warm and sunny day. Again the temperature is 100°F (37.8°C) and there isn't a cloud in the sky.

Next, I had to pick a test subject. I used my own 2000 Honda Prelude

And a measuring device. Previously, I used this to keep tabs on the temperature outside, but I got a newer and better one so I retired this old thing until I decided to experiment with it. This thing had been inside all day so that's why the temperature says only 76°F

Now I wanted to prevent any bias that might have been caused if I left it out in direct sunlight so I put the probe in my glove compartment.

At 1:43 PM, these were my readings:

Indoor Temperature: 69°F (20.6°C) | Outdoor Temperature 93°F (33.9°C) | Car Temperature 91°F (32.8°C)

Now, mind you, these temperatures were taken about 4 minutes after I placed the probe in my car. Also, note that in those four minutes, the temperature jumped from 76°F to 91°F. Quite a leap.

I waited a number of hours to let the inside of the car heat up. At 5:04 PM (3 hours and 21 minutes later), these were my readings:

Indoor Temperature: 71°F (21.7°C) | Outdoor Temperature: 100°F (37.8°C) | Car Temperature: 126°F (52.2°C)

I would have checked it sooner to see how quickly it heats up to that temperature, but I've been studying for finals today and I wasn't able to check it all the time. I think it's safe to say it probably reached that temperature within an hour, though.

I've been locked in a car when it's hot outside. When you're a kid, you don't always think with a level head like you can as an adult. Had I been thinking like my adult self when it happened to me back in 2003, I would have just opened the door. But when you're a kid, you don't want to get in trouble or be kidnapped.

If you're a parent, you have absolutely no reason whatsoever to leave your child in the car. Which is worse? To put up with your kid being loud and hyper in the store or to find your kid dead in your car? At 126°F (52.2°C), someone could succumb to heatstroke within minutes

If you're a parent, these numbers should be startling to you. If you've done this before, this should be a wake up call.

The danger is real! Do not leave your children or pets in the car!