Summer temperatures in Serbia and the region can turn your car into a real oven—even when it’s not extremely hot outside, the interior of a vehicle parked in the sun can quickly reach 60 or even 70°C. Such heat is not only unpleasant when entering the car, but it can seriously damage items left inside and even endanger the health of passengers.
Whether you’re heading to the seaside, touring Serbia, or using a rental car for daily errands, it’s important to know what should never be left in the car during summer days. Proper packing and choosing a car with good air conditioning and sun protection, such as models from the Avaco Rent a Car fleet, can help make your trip safe and pleasant. Read on to find out what to pay special attention to!
High Temperatures and Electronics: Risks in Your Vehicle
Mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and other electronic devices are extremely sensitive to the high temperatures that develop inside a closed car during summer. When a car is parked in the sun, the temperature inside can, within minutes, reach levels that cause permanent damage to batteries and screens. Batteries may swell, weaken, or even explode, while screens and plastic parts can fade or crack.
Tip: Always take electronics with you when leaving the vehicle or store them in the coolest possible place in the car, away from direct sunlight. If you choose a car from the Avaco Rent a Car fleet, we recommend models with tinted windows and efficient air conditioning, such as the Opel Corsa, Škoda Fabia, or Fiat 500L. These cars help keep the interior cooler during the hottest days.
Medicines and Medical Devices: Never in a Scorching Car
Most medicines, including insulin, inhalers, antibiotics, and various syrups, are extremely sensitive to high temperatures. In the sun or in an overheated vehicle, medicines can lose their effectiveness, and some may even become dangerous to your health. This is especially important for people with chronic illnesses, children, and the elderly who depend on regular therapy.
Tip: Always carry medicines with you in a thermal bag or keep them in a cool place. If you’re traveling with someone who has special health needs, choose a car with strong air conditioning—excellent choices are SUV models from Avaco’s offer, such as the Suzuki SX4 S-Cross, Honda CR-V, or Hyundai Tucson. These cars quickly cool the cabin and maintain a pleasant temperature, which is especially important on longer journeys.
Documents and Payment Cards: Protect from Sun
Important documents such as driver’s licenses, passports, and payment cards can be damaged or become unreadable if exposed to high temperatures or direct sunlight. Plastic can soften, barcodes can fade, and magnetic strips can stop working, which can cause serious problems during travel.
Tip: Always keep documents and cards in a bag, wallet, or a closed compartment in the car, away from sunlight. All models from the Avaco fleet have practical compartments and glove boxes for safe storage of important items during travel.
Food and Drinks: Spoil Quickly and Can Be Dangerous
Dairy products, meat, cooked meals, and even protein bars and snacks can spoil or melt within half an hour in an overheated car. Plastic bottles left in the sun can release harmful chemicals (BPA), which further endangers health. Unpleasant odors and potentially dangerous bacteria develop quickly in such conditions.
Tip: Remove food and drinks from the car as soon as you get out, and carry water in glass or BPA-free bottles. If you need a larger trunk for coolers and supplies, practical choices are models like the Opel Astra or Škoda Rapid from Avaco’s offer, which provide enough space even for longer trips.
Children and Pets: Never in the Car, Not Even for a Minute
The temperature inside a closed car can reach 60°C in less than 15 minutes, even when it’s only moderately warm outside. A child can lose consciousness in less than 10 minutes, and pets can suffer serious consequences in just 5 minutes. Even briefly leaving children or animals in the car can have tragic results.
Tip: Never leave children or pets in the car, not even with the windows open or “just for a minute.” For family trips, choose spacious and air-conditioned models such as the Renault Espace or Renault Traffic from Avaco’s offer—they provide enough space, comfort, and strong air conditioning for a safe and worry-free journey.
Other Items That Don’t Like the Heat
Summer heat can seriously damage many everyday items that we often forget in the car. Here’s what is especially risky to leave in the car during hot days:
- Nail Polish and Perfumes: These products are flammable and susceptible to changes at high temperatures. Nail polish can thicken, change color, or even explode in the bottle, while perfumes can change scent and chemical composition, and there’s a risk of glass packaging breaking due to liquid expansion.
- Glasses and Contact Lenses: Sun heat can warp plastic or metal frames, and the glue that holds the lenses can loosen. Contact lenses can dry out, deform, or lose sterility, making them unusable and potentially dangerous for your eyes.
- Shavers, Chargers, and Other Electronics: Electric devices and chargers are not designed for high temperatures. Heat can shorten their lifespan, cause malfunctions, or even damage batteries. Devices with lithium-ion batteries are especially sensitive and can become unstable or explode.
- Lighters: Classic lighters, whether gas or petrol, pose a serious risk of explosion at high temperatures. Even if not directly exposed to sunlight, the interior of the vehicle can be hot enough to cause lighters to crack or explode, which can lead to interior damage or even fire.
Because of all this, it is recommended to check before leaving the car whether you have removed all these items, especially during the summer months. This way, you protect yourself and your vehicle from unnecessary risks and unpleasant surprises.
Bonus Tips for Safe Summer Parking
- Park in the shade whenever possible.
- Use protective windshield covers.
- Leave windows slightly open (if safe).
- Regularly check the air conditioning system—all Avaco cars are regularly serviced and ready for summer conditions.
Conclusion
Summer heat can be merciless, both for you and your car and everything you leave inside. The rule is simple: if you wouldn’t leave something in an oven, don’t leave it in a car in the sun!
Choose wisely—select a car from the Avaco Rent a Car fleet with strong air conditioning and extra sun protection, so every trip becomes a pleasant experience without unpleasant surprises.
Book your car in advance, pack smart, and enjoy a stress-free summer—wherever the road takes you!