As the summer hot weather sweeps across South Australia, the Royal Automobile Association (RAA) is issuing a vital warning to drivers: be extra vigilant with your car keys.
Recent Road Service data has revealed a concerning surge in the number of children and animals requiring rescue from locked cars in the state.
According to RAA callout data, a total of 663 children and pets had to be rescued from locked vehicles by RAA patrols in 2023. This represents a staggering 29 percent increase compared to the previous year. Among these callouts, 308 were for children, and 355 were for pets, equating to almost two loved ones needing rescue each day in South Australia.
RAA Senior Traffic Engineer Matt Vertudaches stressed the urgency of the situation, highlighting the dangers of leaving children or pets unattended in parked vehicles, especially during hot weather.
“In a lot of these instances, it’s simply because someone has accidentally locked their keys in their car, which can be easy to do now that many modern cars have keyless entry and ignition,” he said.
“We’re pleading with drivers to make sure they’re aware of where their keys are at all times to avoid accidentally leaving them in the vehicle with a loved one. When the weather is warm, this is even more vital because the temperature inside a locked car will climb to dangerous levels within minutes, and the consequences of leaving a loved one in there could be catastrophic.”
The data also revealed the most common locations for these lock-out incidents in 2023, with larger suburbs such as Mt Barker, Mt Gambier, and Port Lincoln topping the list, followed by Morphett Vale and Murray Bridge.
In a recent experiment conducted by RAA, it was shown that in-car cabin temperatures can soar to more than 80 degrees within just 20 minutes when left in the sun. Even white cars, often thought to attract less heat than darker vehicles, reached temperatures exceeding 70 degrees in the same time frame.
“No child or pet should be exposed to those sorts of temperatures, and parking in the shade or winding down windows doesn’t make much difference either,” Vertudaches said.
He urged individuals to stay calm if they find themselves in a situation with a child or pet locked in a vehicle. Acting swiftly and contacting RAA or SA Police in an emergency is crucial.
RAA provides a priority service and dispatches two patrol vans to any callout involving a child or animal locked in a vehicle. Importantly, all South Australians can call for help in this situation, and an RAA membership is not required.
For more information on RAA, head here.
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