General News
7 February, 2025
More people being locked in cars
Ambulance Victoria (AV) is reminding the community that hot cars can be life threatening, as call-outs for people trapped in parked vehicles remain alarmingly high.
This summer, Victorian paramedics responded to over 230 reports of people locked in cars, highlighting the ongoing danger as temperatures soared across the state.
From December 1, 2023 to November 30, 2024, paramedics were called to a total of 1211 cases.
Calls to free people from hot cars also require the attendance of multiple emergency services, particularly to free children.
Maryborough Fire Brigade Captain Darryl Wagstaff said they have recently attended more of these calls than in previous years.
“In the last 12 months, we’ve seen more than what we have had previously. Prior to Christmas we did have a couple of calls for a child locked in a car, and we have had to break in with our tools,” he said.
He said it’s rare they have to break into a hot car, but when these incidents are reported, it triggers calls for multiple local emergency services to attend.
“Someone will go past, see the child or person and report it, and all the alarm bells start to ring, so it’s better not to do it than thinking you’ll get away from it,” Captain Wagstaff said.
He urges the community shouldn’t leave anyone in a hot car, regardless of how quick they plan to be.
“In the hot weather, don’t do it. Even just to buy a bottle of milk or whatever, just don’t do it. Take the person or the child with you,” Captain Wagstaff said.
AV director regional and clinical operations Steve Doyle said although the data suggests cases have reduced over the last 12 months, the number of call-outs during hot weather is deeply concerning.
“We are urging Victorians to never leave kids or elderly people in parked cars, even on mild days. The temperature inside a vehicle can double and become deadly within minutes,” he said.
“It is particularly dangerous for children to be left inside vehicles, as a child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster than an adult.”
He emphasised this is no time for complacency.
“We’re asking parents and carers to always take children and elderly people with them whenever they get out of the car,” Mr Doyle said.
“We know that children can often become accidentally locked in cars. We encourage parents and carers to make sure keys are kept with them and to be alert while loading family members in and out of vehicles.”
According to annual AV data, paramedics were called to 127 cases of people locked in vehicles in December 2024.
Of those patients, 21 were treated at the scene, two were transported to hospital.
Most of the call-outs were in the summer month, with 36.2 percent — or 396 cases — between December 1, 2023 and February 28, 2024.
Children below the age of 13 (including newborns, pre-schoolers, toddlers and school-aged children) represent 87.5 percent of cases reported.
Toddlers aged one to three make up the most cases — 58.3 percent.
For children under 13, 12 pm (midday) and 3 pm were the busiest times of the day for locked in car call-outs.