11 July 2023 , 16:45
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Although parts of the UK have faced some rain in recent days, temperatures are still pretty warm and the good news is, there could be more sun on the way as the Met Office has said clouds and rain are set to break within the next seven to 10 days.
But before you get into your car for a trip down the beach to make the most of the incoming sunshine, a motoring expert has warned there are some items you should never leave in your car on a hot day - and many of them are things we all take with us when the sun's out.
Tim Alcock explained that some items can become "hazardous" when exposed to too much heat and can be dangerous if left in a hot car for too long, as he said it's imperative that drivers are "aware of hot-weather motoring risks".
The expert, from LeaseCar, said that one of the most important things you should never leave in your car during hot weather is suncream - even though it's one thing many of us will always make sure we have on hand when the sun's out.
But according to Tim, several ingredients in suncream can break down if left in the heat, so if you leave your suncream in a hot car, you could be making it ineffective, meaning it won't protect you from dangerous UV rays when you next slather it on.
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Similarly, you should never leave medicine in a hot car, Tim told The Sun. The packaging for the specific medication you have should tell you what temperatures it can withstand, but typically, medicines such as Calpol, Anadin, and other paracetamols cannot be kept above 25C, as this could make them turn bad, leaving them useless or even dangerous.
And while we all know how important it is to stay hydrated in the summer, water bottles are another item that the motoring expert recommends you don't leave in your car. Metal, glass, or BPA-free plastic water bottles are fine to be kept in your vehicle, but if you regularly drink from a plastic bottle that isn't BPA-free, you shouldn't keep it in your car.
This is because heat can cause the plastic bottle to have a reaction which can leak toxic chemicals like antimony into the water, which can harm your eyes and skin as well as cause potential damage to your lungs, heart, and stomach.
Metal water bottles might be fine to stay in the car, but cans of fizzy drinks are definitely not, according to Tim. Carbonated cans left in the heat can explode, and the last thing you want on a hot day is to come back to a car covered in the sticky sugary residue that the drink will leave behind.
Sunglasses are also something which should always be removed from your car when you park up. Tim explained that leaving a pair of sunnies in the heat can cause the lenses to warp or even break, while the temperature can also warp the plastic frames of the glasses - leaving them wonky when you put them on.
And finally, Tim recommends never forgetting to take your phone out of your car. In the height of summer, the temperature in your car can rise to almost twice what it is outside if left to sit in direct sunlight, and that can spell disaster for your phone's battery as it makes it prone to overheating.