RACQ is urging parents and pet owners to keep their keys close to them, after responding to almost 2000 incidents of children and pets who were locked in vehicles across Queensland during the past year.
The warning comes as new RACQ research found the temperature inside a typical car parked outside can increase by 10 degrees within just 10 minutes.
The test was conducted in February.
The new data revealed there was 1930 callouts for children and animals locked in vehicles (1069 children, 861 animals) between November 1, 2021 to October 31, 2022.
From those figures, there were 158 RACQ call-outs (85 children, 73 animals) locked in cars on the Sunshine Coast, ranking the region equal third in the state.
RACQ Team Manager Patrol Operations Howard Strasser said the findings should serve as a serious reminder it is never safe to leave children or animals in a vehicle, regardless of the timeframe, weather or situation.
“Leaving a sleeping child in a car for a short time while you pay for fuel or grab something from the shops can have deadly consequences,” Mr Strasser said.
“The temperature inside a vehicle can quickly reach dangerous temperatures, even if the weather outside doesn’t feel particularly hot.”
A Queensland Police Service spokesperson reiterated, that with summer upon us and the temperatures already increasing, “your car could be much hotter, this is why you should never leave children or pets in your stationary, unattended vehicle”.
If you do, you could be subject to criminal proceedings.
“Police would like to remind parents that under Queensland law, it is illegal to intentionally leave a child under 12 unattended for an unreasonable time without making reasonable provision for the supervision and care of the child,” the QPS spokesperson said.
“While there is no specific offence under Queensland law for leaving a dog in a vehicle, or on the back of a utility, but depending on the outcome, it could be an offence under the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001.”
The Act sets out a general offence of cruelty with a maximum penalty of $275,700 or three years imprisonment.
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Mr Strasser revealed the RACQ roadside assistance teams receive on average five calls every day for either children or animals locked in cars.
“While many of these cases are accidental, concerningly year after year we see the same volume of callouts,” Mr Strasser said.
“Generally, parents give their keys to their child to play with when they’re putting the groceries in the car, or they leave the keys in the car with the dog and the dog steps on the lock button.
“We urge parents and pet owners to keep their keys close at all times. Avoid using them as a toy or distraction for children and when buckling in your child or pet, don’t put them down in your car.
“Accidentally locking your child in a car is an extremely stressful situation for everyone involved, and we often find parents waste time trying to work out what to do or who to call.
“If a person or animal is locked in a car, please give us a call on 13 11 11. We treat children locked in cars as the highest priority.
“If you’re ever concerned about the health of a child, call emergency services immediately.”
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