How do you respond if you see a child or animal in a hot car?

Summer

There's no amount of time that is safe to leave a child or pet inside a car, experts warn following the tragic death of a child in Spain

DPA

"It'll be quick" can be deadly on a day that threatens to become hot. There's no amount of time that is safe to leave a child or pet inside a car, even if you park in the shade, crack the windows or are away for just a few minutes, experts warn.

The sun can reach the car as distractions keep the driver away longer than intended, as is reported to be the case with a two-year-old girl who died in Spain on Wednesday after being left in the car for hours by her father amid an extreme heatwave across the country.

According to local media reports, the father forgot to drop the child off at her creche and went straight to work without realising she was still inside the vehicle.

Anyone who comes across a parked car in the summer with a child or animal inside should act quickly, police, health officials and road authorities warn.

However guidance varies on when you should break the window yourself.

In the UK, police say: "It is not advisable to force entry to the vehicle yourself straight away. Depending on the level of distress, your first step should be to call the police."

In the US, the road authority NHTSA says breaking into the car can be justified: "If the child is not responsive and appears to be in distress, attempt to get into the car to assist the child - even if that means breaking a window."

If the situation is not yet critical, passers-by could try to inform the store managers so that they can alert the owner of the vehicle, if it is parked in a commercial car park.

Either way, calling the police or fire department is always a good idea, since they can open a car without breaking the window, which may injure those inside.

If you need to break the window yourself, for example if a child looks unwell, Germany's ADAC car club recommends both advising the police or fire department beforehand and taking a quick smartphone photo of the situation.

Otherwise, a helpful passer-by runs the risk of getting into a dispute with the vehicle owner over damage to their property.

Tests by ADAC show that a car left in the sun on a 28-degree day reached an internal temperature of 50 degrees after only 30 minutes. After an hour, the temperature can climb to 57 degrees, even with the windows slightly open.