RACQ campaign highlights danger of children locked in cars
RACQ has rescued more than 120 children trapped in cars in January alone, prompting the motoring club to produce the “Children locked in cars” community service announcement, which alerts parents to the seriousness of the issue and addresses some of the urban myths surrounding leaving a child in a parked car.
RACQ research has shown a vehicle’s cabin temperature can skyrocket from an air-conditioned 19 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees in just one minute, reaching fatal temperatures soon after.
RACQ Vehicle Technologies manager Steve Spalding said children exposed to extreme heat in these situations were unable to cool themselves effectively.
“As a result their core body temperature rises dramatically and permanent injury or death can result in a frighteningly short time,” Mr Spalding said.
“Despite popular belief, leaving windows down, parking in the shade or car tinting makes very little difference to the temperature inside the vehicle.
“Quite simply, there is no safe way of leaving a child locked in a car.”
Mr Spalding said the RACQ gave a priority response to any call involving a child locked in a car as a community service, whether the vehicle owner was a club member or not.
“RACQ received 1186 calls in 2009 to free children trapped in cars,” Mr Spalding said.
“That is an average of more than three a day.
“While accidental lock-ins greatly outnumber children intentionally left in a car by unthinking or neglectful parents, it is important to know that it is a crime in Queensland to leave a child under 12 unsupervised in a car and conviction could result in three years’ jail.”
RACQ’s community service announcement on the dangers of leaving children in parked cars has been distributed to radio stations across the state and forms part of the motoring club’s commitment to Queensland motorists and their families.
In addition to the “Children locked in cars” community service announcement, the RACQ has produced a range of key road safety and advocacy community service messages for release throughout the year.
