GEICO Insurance, responding to unseasonably warm temperatures throughout most of the country issued a reminder on June 10th about the dangers of leaving children and pets alone in the car during the summer months.

Martha Furnas, assistant vice president at GEICO, issued a statement to remind all motorists, parents and pet owners about the serious injuries and even deaths that occur every year when people innocently leave a child or pet in a vehicle unattended. Even with windows rolled down, temperatures can increase inside a vehicle to dangerous levels.

Ms. Furnas concluded by discussing the potential for kidnapping a child from an unattended vehicle, which can happen in just seconds. Pets also are at risk for overheating in sealed vehicles. Animals with fur have very little ability to discharge heat from their bodies and can overheat very quickly.

Safety tips for hot-weather include:

• On a normal sunny summer day temperatures inside closed cars can reach extreme levels in just a few minutes. NEVER leave a child or pet alone, even if the windows are rolled down.
• Check the surface of the seats, car seats, and seatbelts before buckling a child in on a hot day, to avoid burning their tender skin.
• Call 911 if your child or pet gets locked inside a car accidentally, or if you see pet or child alone in someone else's car.
• Always carry bottled water, and have your child wear a hat on sunny days, even inside the car.