BERLIN: Cars can become deadly in hot weather, for children and pets but also for your smartphone, electronic devices as well as any pressurised containers left behind.

Once temperatures soar past 50°C, flammable liquids or gases can cause explosions, so try and make sure you don’t have any bottles or canisters lying around in the car, is the tip from the Auto Club Europe (ACE).

That may sound hot but your car can reach that temperature if it’s parked outdoors for an hour and it’s 28°C outside.

The blazing sun can be bad news for any deodorant spray, disinfectant, antifreeze or cleaning products you may have rolling around.

Meanwhile, don’t leave any electronic devices such as rechargeable batteries, smartphones, power banks or ebook readers in your car when it’s blazing summer, as they may explode in direct sunlight.

The boot is the best place to put your powerbank and other devices, says the ACE who points out it’s cooler and any explosion is less likely to cause extensive damage.

Bear in mind too that water and other liquids also expand when they get warm, so in summer, it’s best to take your shopping indoors right away if you’ve picked up olive oil, mineral water or other fizzy drinks.

 - dpa