It happens. Parents have a gaggle of wee children to manage. But they also have errands to run, appointments to keep, and adulting to do. So what do some parents do? They leave their child or children unattended in a car, sometimes a hot car, with the windows down. Well, even with the windows down, is an unattended parked car ever a safe place for a child?

It might not be illegal in every state, but leaving a child alone in a hot car is always a poor idea, even with the windows down

Believe it or not, leaving your child unattended in your car isn’t illegal in every state. In fact, it’s not even illegal in half of U.S. states. According to the organization “Kids and Car Safety,” only 20 states expressly forbid and outlaw parents and caretakers from leaving children in cars unattended. Here’s a list of the states that don’t allow children to be left alone in vehicles.

• California
• Washington
• Nevada
• Utah
• Nebraska
• Oklahoma
• Texas
• Louisiana 
• Missouri
• Illinois
• Michigan
• Kentucky
• Alabama
• Tennessee
• Florida
• Pennsylvania 
• Rhode Island
• Connecticut
• Maryland

That said, you can get in serious trouble, even in states that don’t outlaw the action. For instance, should a child tragically die due to the heat of a parked car, a charge of manslaughter isn’t outside the realm of possibility. 

While it’s legal in some places to leave a child in your car, a hot car with the windows down even, it’s never a good idea. Moreover, cracking or dropping the window is far from a guarantee of refuge from high temperatures. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), a vehicle with its windows “cracked,” or down a bit, “makes no difference.” Within minutes, a car in direct sunlight can reach emergency levels.

Furthermore, your attended child is a target for malicious actors, especially with the windows down. As such, it’s better to corral those kiddos and take them with you. That, or leave them at home under the watchful eye of a caretaker.