The RACQ has warned parents not to leave children unattended in cars after rescuing more than 600 children from locked vehicles in the first half of the year.

July 6, 2017

Three children a day are being rescued from locked cars in Queensland, with frustrated authorities saying parents continue to ignore warnings about leaving children unattended in their vehicles.

Figures released by the RACQ on Thursday show 605 children have been rescued from locked cars across the state in the first six months of this year, up on last year’s figure.

“Sadly, we usually rescue, on average, three children a day every day,” RACQ spokeswoman Lauren Ritchie said.

The RACQ warned temperatures can reach 40 degrees inside a car in as little as seven seconds.

“At those sorts of temperatures there can be serious health risks to a child and potentially death,” Ms Ritchie said.

The peak motoring group said it was alarmed the message is still not getting through to parents.

“People keep giving their kids their keys to play with while they load up the car with groceries or a pram. By the time they close the boot, the child has pushed the lock button and they’re trapped inside,” Ms Ritchie said.

This year’s rescue figures rose from 2016 when 590 children were rescued in the first half of the year.

Ms Ritchie says although it only takes a few seconds for RACQ patrols to get into a car, it is a distressing situation for the children, parents and rescuers.

“They know too well that they are working against the clock to free a child from inside a hot car,” Ms Ritchie said.

A 100 per cent effective method to reducing the number of children trapped in locked cars, was “keeping your car keys on you”, she said.