With UAE summer temperatures, a parked car can turn into one of the hottest spots you will encounter all day. The cabin traps heat quickly, the dashboard absorbs direct sunlight, and within minutes everyday items inside can warp, leak, lose their effectiveness, or in some cases, catch fire.
Whether you are heading out for a weekend errand or leaving the car at the mall for an hour, here is a useful reminder of what to leave behind, and what to keep inside.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
Items that can catch fire or explode
The most serious risks come from anything pressurised, battery-powered, or alcohol-based. These include:
-
Lighters and matches.
-
Perfume bottles, air fresheners, and aerosol sprays such as deodorants and insect repellents.
-
Hand sanitisers and other alcohol-based products.
-
Power banks, spare phone batteries, and e-cigarettes.
-
Mobile phones, tablets, and laptops, all of which contain lithium-ion batteries.
-
Pressurised drink cans and bottled fizzy drinks.
When heated, these items can swell, leak, ignite, or burst, and in some cases trigger a fire that spreads quickly through the cabin.
Items that get damaged or become unsafe
Some items will not catch fire, but they can quickly become useless, harmful, or both:
-
Plastic water bottles, which can leach chemicals into the water when left in the heat for hours.
-
Prescription medication, vitamins, and insulin, which lose their effectiveness and in some cases become unsafe.
-
Makeup, sunscreen, lipstick, and skincare products, which melt or change in texture and chemistry.
-
Sunglasses with plastic frames, which can warp out of shape.
-
Chocolate, snacks, and any perishable groceries.
-
Bank cards, Emirates ID, and driving licence, which can bend and have their chips and magnetic strips damaged.
-
CDs, DVDs, vinyl records, and printed photographs.
And most importantly, never leave children or pets inside a parked car, even for a quick errand. Heat builds up far faster than most people realise, and in UAE summer conditions, even a few minutes can be dangerous.
What you can keep in the car
A few items are actually worth keeping in your vehicle year-round, especially during summer:
-
A small dry powder fire extinguisher, mounted securely and checked for expiry
-
A basic first-aid kit
-
A reflective sunshade for the windscreen
-
A window-breaking and seatbelt-cutting tool
-
Jumper cables
-
A bottle of water for emergencies, replaced regularly and kept out of direct sunlight
Parking in shaded or covered areas, leaving the windows open a tiny bit, and letting the air conditioning run for a couple of minutes before driving off are simple habits that make a real difference once the weather peaks.
