The One Thing Illinois Drivers Should NEVER Leave In Their Car on a Hot Day

Bringing a bottle of water with you wherever you go on a hot day is always a smart thing to do, but make sure you NEVER leave it in your car, especially if it's full!

Don't Forget the Water!

On a scorching summer day, having bottles of water on hand is an absolute must, but did you know leaving them in your car can quickly turn into a dangerous situation?

Before I get into the reasons a water bottle can be so dangerous in high heat, I must clarify that the water bottles I'm talking about are the plastic clear ones you can buy at most stores these days...not the reusable ones that are made of metal or some other material.

Dangers of Clear Water Bottles in High Heat

One of the biggest dangers of leaving a water bottle in a hot car is that when plastic bottles are exposed to high temperatures they can release harmful chemicals into the water and/or promote bacteria growth. Drinking this tainted water can cause many different health issues, so it should be avoided at all costs.

Extremely high temperatures inside a car can also make pressure buildup inside a  bottle which could lead to an explosion of very hot water. Not cool...literally.

Ready for the scariest danger of leaving a clear water bottle in your car? It could literally start a fire!!

Here's a video I found on Facebook that shows how a water bottle can start a fire in your car...

Technically, this risk of a fire starting from a water bottle could be a possibility on a sunny, winter, fall, or spring day too, but the heat factor really amps the danger up several notches.

If you MUST leave a clear water bottle in your car, ALWAYS make sure it is not in direct sunlight...just in case.