‘If you wait, it can be too late’: Warning about leaving kids in the car as hot weather hits

With temperatures in some of Australia’s capital cities hitting the high 30s this weekend, safety experts are warning drivers to make sure children are never left alone in hot cars.

Over the next few days, both Melbourne and Adelaide are expected to hit a top of 37-degrees Celsius, with Perth, Brisbane and Sydney also maintaining temperatures in the high 20s and early 30s.

While leaving a child alone in a car is never a good idea, in summer especially the consequences can be catastrophic.

But leaving a child unattended in a locked car under any circumstances is illegal, with fines possible of up to $22,000 under the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998.

According to the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV), which is issuing the hot weather warning this weekend, temperatures inside a car can reach more than 70 degrees in just a few minutes – even if the outside temperature is 30 degrees.

“Children are more vulnerable to heat, dehydration, and heatstroke, making it essential to be cautious and act quickly if a potentially dangerous accident has happened,” said RACV General Manager Automotive Services Makarla Cole.

Safety not-for-profit organisation Kidsafe Victoria reports that a child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult’s, so the impact of heat on a child’s body is almost immediate. 

This puts them at greater risk of life-threatening heat stroke, brain injury, heart and lung failure, and dehydration. 

Acting quickly here is essential, adds the National Roads and Motorists’ Association (NRMA), because if you wait it can be too late.

According to both the RACV and NRMA, it’s a common misconception that larger cars take longer to heat up – the process is just as fast as with smaller ones. 

And while darker-coloured cars can reach slightly higher temperatures than lighter-coloured ones, the colour of the interior trim has little effect on the speed the temperature can increase by inside a car.

Leaving the windows down slightly also has little effect on the inside temperature, as tests have shown that when windows are left open by 10cm, it only reduces the inside temperature by five degrees.

In 2024, the RACV received 653 calls from parents and carers who needed help to free children accidentally locked in vehicles.

In the same 12 months, NRMA patrols responded to 1846 calls where a child or a pet was locked in a car. The majority of these cases were accidental with parents or carers unintentionally locking their keys – along with their children – in the car.

If the situation is life-threatening, the best thing to do is call 000 straight away.

If it’s less urgent, call a roadside assistance service.

NRMA Patrol, Tony Tamine, said children and pets locked in cars were always prioritised by NRMA roadside assistance.

“When we receive a call that a child is locked in a car, it becomes a priority job and is moved to the top of our list,” said Tamine.

“As patrols, we train specifically for these situations to get children and pets out of cars as quickly and calmly as possible. In many instances, the parents are more stressed than the child locked in the car.

“If your child is visibly distressed, call 000. Emergency services can also assist and may be able to arrive on the scene sooner for urgent situations by using lights and sirens.”

RACV offers the following advice for motorists driving with children:

• Ensure windows are open before placing children in the car to prevent auto-locking, then close them once driving.
• Never let children play with keys.
• Minimise distractions when loading the car.
• Keep keys secure with a lanyard or clip.

“RACV Emergency Roadside Assistance are trained to prioritise calls in which children and pets are in danger above all else.  We will attend as quickly as possible, regardless of whether you are a RACV Member or not. RACV is here for all Victorians when it comes to emergencies,” said Cole.

NRMA Roadside Patrol Kosta Karavanas said he regularly comes across cases where parents have accidentally locked their kids in cars with keyless entry features.

“With some car models, as soon as the key is inside the car and the door is shut, the car automatically locks, leaving shocked parents outside and children or pets inside,” Karavanas said.

“Even if you don’t think your car will self-lock with the key inside, don’t put yourself in the situation to find out, especially when kids are involved. We can’t always rely on technology to work."

In addition to the RACV’s advice, the NRMA suggests:

• Before buckling the kids into seats, pop the keys in your pocket.
• If no pockets, put it on the roof as the car won’t start without the keys inside.
• Even if you don’t think your car will self-lock with the key inside, don’t risk it.

You can call the RACV’s roadside assistance number on 131 111, or the NRMA’s service on 131 122.

A born-and-bred newshound, Kathryn has worked her way up through the ranks reporting for, and later editing, two renowned UK regional newspapers and websites, before moving on to join the digital newsdesk of one of the world’s most popular newspapers – The Sun. More recently, she’s done a short stint in PR in the not-for-profit sector, and led the news team at Wheels Media.

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