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Doctor warns: Don’t try to make a point with those ‘hot car’ viral videos

A local doctor is warning against adults putting themselves at risk as they try to illustrate the dangers of being inside a hot car.

Some adults have gone to extreme lengths after seeing stories of children getting locked inside cars on hot days.

Videos have been popping up of people locking themselves in cars to show just how hot the inside of a car can get in the summer heat. They are going viral across the internet.

A Louisiana police department made a video to show the public how dangerous it is to be left inside a car, especially on a hot day. Officers said the video was highly supervised and they encouraged the public to NOT try the experiment at home. Click here to see the video.

Dr. Kathryn Dierks with Genesis West in Davenport said this kind of experiment is never a good idea.

"It's extremely unsafe for anyone to be doing that and sitting in the car. When it's hot outside and you lock yourself inside of the car the temperatures increase significantly," said Dr. Dierks. "It can get up to 130 degrees in the car."

"Sitting in the heat like that changes the physiology of your brain. You can actually, physically, start to cook," Dr. Dierks said.

Children don't have the same cooling mechanisms that adults have, and since they don't have the ability to escape from a locked car, even 15 minutes can be deadly, Dr. Dierks said.

Dr. Dierks said she sees a lot of heat stroke cases in the Quad Cities this time of the year, especially among the elderly, who may not have air conditioning and are trapped in their own homes. She said it's important to keep an eye on your neighbors and drink plenty of fluids.

As for the videos, Dr. Dierks advises people to keep themselves safe and out of locked cars this summer season.

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