AS temperatures soar across parts of Queensland, RACQ is pleading with motorists not to be complacent and keep their car keys close to avoid locking a loved one or pet inside a hot vehicle.
RACQ research found the temperature inside a typical car parked outside can increase by 10 degrees within just 10 minutes.
Club spokesperson Kate Leonard-Jones said RACQ patrols responded to more than 1,700 incidents of children and pets locked in vehicles last year.
“We receive roughly four calls a day to rescue a child or animal trapped in a car, and while lock ins are usually accidental, it can be a very scary and life-threatening situation,” Ms Leonard-Jones said.“
The vast majority of accidental lock ins happen when the child has been given a set of keys to play with.”
