Paramedics have issued a stern warning to errant parents failing to heed the repeated messages against leaving their children locked in cars.
As the mercury is tipped to rise to 36 degrees on Friday, new figures show paramedics were called to more than 200 cases of children locked in cars across Victoria in the first five weeks this year, including 11 on Thursday.
Melbourne’s east and south suburbs have the worst record with 77 triple-0 calls made to report a child locked in a car since the start of the year, while the northern and western suburbs accounted for 73 calls.
Ambulance Victoria group manager Brett Drummond has a blunt message for the parents: ‘‘We have seen children die in hot cars in the last few years – just don’t take the risk.
‘‘It’s never OK to leave a child in a car, no exceptions, no excuses.’’
Mr Drummond said there had been a significant amount of media coverage this summer to warn against the dangers of leaving children in cars.
‘‘On top of that, the penalties for leaving a child unattended have been increased.
‘‘Despite that, people are still willing to gamble with their children’s lives.’’
Tests by Ambulance Victoria have found that even on a 29-degree day the inside of a car can hit 44 degrees within 10 minutes and 60 degrees within 20 minutes.
Mr Drummond said with warmer weather forecast for the next week it was important that people did not leave anyone in a car.
‘‘The mercury will be in the 30s in Melbourne and into the 40s in the north of the state over the next week.’’
He said some of the triple-0 calls resulted from people who had accidentally locked their keys in the car with their child.
‘‘Hold onto your keys until you are ready to hop into the car as well,’’ Mr Drummond said.
Triple-0 calls over children locked in cars from January 1-February 5
Metro east/south – 77
Metro west/north – 73
Barwon/south west – 18
Grampians – 12
Loddon Mallee – 4
Hume – 9
Gippsland – 11
TOTAL – 204
