The AA is warning motorists that even a few minutes in a hot car is too much for a child or a pet, and that it can have serious medical effects like brain damage or even death.
John Healy, speaking this morning to TVNZ 1's Breakfast, said the AA receives on average about 1400 callouts per year for children or pets in hot cars.
"The message is not getting through ... a lack of education out there, probably, and certainly a lack of realisation of the danger - particularly in these high temperatures we have now," Mr Healy said.
"We're talking two-three minutes and it can reach 40 degrees - that can be pretty distressing to a child or a pet.
"People should not do this - it's very, very risky ... you can end up with brain damage or worse if it's allowed."
Mr Healy said the common misconception that leaving the windows down a crack would be enough to keep the occupants cool is completely false.
"It's a myth - even putting the windows down 3-4cm or more - it doesn't have much of an effect at all," he said.
“Imagine a child who can’t look after themselves, can’t fan themselves, can’t cope…it’s happening too much”. (Source: Other)
"If you've got hot air outside you've got hot air inside even more so."
The warning comes after a Hamilton grandfather last week allegedly left two preschoolers in a hot car while he went to get takeaways.
Police were called by members of the public who noticed the children inside look hot, sweaty and distressed.
WHAT HAPPENS TO A BODY IN A HOT CAR?
A child's body temperature can climb three to five times faster than an adult's because of their small size and they are much less able to regulate their body temperature.
According to the Journal of Emergency Medical Services, the temperature in a car can jump by eight degrees in just 10 minutes, and by the one-hour mark it can soar to 60C on a 27C day.
"Even a brief entrapment in a vehicle can expose a child to heat stroke (having a temperature above 40 degrees)," the journal says. The average human body temperature is 37C.
Heat stroke can cause neurological dysfunction, nausea, disorientation, delirium and seizures, as well as elevated heart rate.
As the child or pet's body temperature continues to climb, they can go into hyperthermic shock, where the body gives up on trying to regulate its temperature.
This, combined with dehydration, can halt circulation to vital organs.
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