The NRMA has delivered an urgent and critical safety alert to all Australian parents and pet owners as the nation braces for a severe and dangerous heatwave. Forecasters predict temperatures will skyrocket beyond 40 degrees Celsius across many regions this week, creating potentially lethal conditions inside vehicles.
Oven-Like Conditions Inside Parked Cars
With the mercury expected to climb as high as 46C in some areas over the weekend, the internal temperature of a locked car can become catastrophic. The cabin can heat to almost 80 degrees Celsius – a level compared by experts to the inside of a kitchen oven.
Pete Khoury from the NRMA emphasised the terrifying speed at which a situation can turn critical. "It doesn’t take very long at all for the child to become distressed. And then we start to see some real health concerns around organ failure," he stated during a recent television appearance. He warned that without rapid intervention, these incidents can tragically end in fatality.
A Stark Reality: Hundreds Rescued Annually
The scale of the problem is alarming. In the last year, NRMA patrols rescued 1456 children and pets from locked vehicles. Khoury stressed that while the vast majority of these lock-ins are accidental – often involving keys being locked inside with the child or pet – the danger is no less extreme.
"To be fair to parents and pet owners, almost all of those are accidental," Khoury explained. He noted that by the time help arrives, patrollers often spend more effort calming the distraught parent than gaining entry to the car.
However, he also addressed the deliberate, albeit brief, decisions some make. "Some cases are deliberate with parents thinking they can quickly pop into the shops. The message couldn’t be clearer. There is no safe time any time in the year to leave your pet or your child inside the vehicle."
What To Do In An Emergency
The NRMA has issued clear guidance for the public. If you see a child or pet alone in a vehicle, especially in hot weather, call 000 immediately. These calls become the top priority for NRMA patrols, regardless of the vehicle owner's membership status.
Khoury also advised on more dire scenarios. "If the child or the pet is visibly distressed, we encourage the public to find a safe way into the vehicle, whether that means breaking a window that’s obviously not near the child. Get into that car and save that child."
To prevent accidental lock-outs, a simple habit can save lives. Khoury recommends that parents and carers always keep their car keys in their pocket, particularly when loading shopping or children, and to avoid giving keys to children to play with as a distraction.
As Australia faces another extreme heat event, this warning serves as a vital reminder of a hidden, fast-acting danger that claims lives every year.
