Don't Leave These 5 Things in a Cold Car

One might actually explode
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 4, 2018 1:47 PM CST
Updated Jan 7, 2018 8:00 AM CST
Don't Leave These 5 Things in a Cold Car
A man clears snow from cars in Traverse City, Mich., on Tuesday.   (Jan-Michael Stump/Traverse City Record-Eagle via AP)

The record-breaking cold continues—even penguins in Canada are taking shelter, per People—so it's a good time to share what not to leave in a cold car. A list compiled by the Detroit Free Press includes the obvious—people, for one—but also several items you might not have realized could be affected by freezing temperatures. Here are five, including one that might explode:

  1. Cellphones: Lithium-ion batteries popular in these devices are particularly vulnerable to extreme cold.
  2. Canned beverages: They might explode, like this.
  3. Musical instruments: Those made of wood may contract with the cold, causing tuning issues and other damage.
  4. Medication: Freezing causes certain drugs to lose their effectiveness, including those that need to be shaken.
  5. Low gas tank: Keeping the gas level above half a tank will prevent fuel lines from freezing.
Click for more tips or find out how ridiculously cold it is in these five US cities. (More cold weather stories.)

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