Child and Pet Safety in Hot Cars
Every year in Australia, children and pets die from heatstroke after being left in hot vehicles. These tragedies are entirely preventable, yet they continue to occur because many people underestimate how quickly vehicles heat up and how vulnerable children and animals are to heat. This guide provides essential information about the dangers, prevention strategies, and what to do if you encounter an emergency situation.
Understanding the science behind vehicle heating and the physiology of heat stress in children and pets can help every Australian driver take appropriate precautions.
A child's body temperature rises 3-5 times faster than an adult's. Heatstroke can begin when body temperature reaches 40°C and becomes fatal at 41.7°C. In a hot car, this can happen within minutes.
How Fast Do Cars Heat Up?
Research consistently shows that vehicles heat up far faster than most people expect. Even on relatively mild days, the greenhouse effect inside a car creates dangerous conditions rapidly.
The Greenhouse Effect
Sunlight passes through car windows and heats interior surfaces. This heat is then trapped inside, as the glass blocks the escape of infrared radiation. This is why cars heat up even with windows cracked—the greenhouse effect continues to work regardless of small openings.
Temperature Timeline
Studies by the Royal Automobile Club have documented vehicle temperature increases:
- Within 5 minutes: temperature can increase by 8-10°C
- Within 10 minutes: can exceed 20°C above outside temperature
- Within 30 minutes: can reach 30-40°C above outside temperature
- On a 30°C day, interior temperatures can exceed 60°C
Cracking windows provides minimal relief. Studies show that cracked windows may reduce maximum temperatures by only 2-3 degrees—nowhere near enough to prevent dangerous conditions.
On a 29°C day—not even considered extremely hot by Australian standards—a parked car reached an interior temperature of 44°C in just 10 minutes. Within an hour, it exceeded 60°C. A child in such conditions faces life-threatening danger almost immediately.
Why Children Are Especially Vulnerable
Children's bodies respond to heat differently than adults, making them far more susceptible to heat-related illness and death.
Physiological Factors
Children have a higher surface area to body mass ratio, meaning they absorb heat from the environment faster. Their thermoregulation systems are not fully developed, reducing their ability to cool themselves through sweating. They also have less body water relative to their size, becoming dehydrated more quickly.
Inability to Self-Rescue
Young children cannot escape from car seats or unlock doors. They may not understand the danger or be able to call for help. By the time they show obvious distress, they may already be in a medical crisis.
Silent Danger
As heatstroke progresses, children often become quiet and lethargic rather than crying loudly. This means a child in crisis may not attract the attention of passersby, making early intervention less likely.
Pet Vulnerability
Dogs and cats are also highly vulnerable to vehicle heat, though for somewhat different physiological reasons.
Cooling Limitations
Dogs primarily cool themselves through panting, which becomes ineffective in hot, humid environments. Unlike humans, they cannot sweat over most of their body. In a hot car, their only cooling mechanism fails rapidly.
Breed Considerations
Brachycephalic breeds (flat-faced dogs like Bulldogs, Pugs, and Persian cats) are at even higher risk due to their compromised airways. Older animals, those with heart conditions, and overweight pets also face increased danger.
In Australia, leaving a child unattended in a vehicle is illegal in all states and territories. Leaving an animal in distress can result in animal cruelty charges. Penalties can include heavy fines and imprisonment.
Prevention Strategies
Never Leave Children or Pets Unattended
This is the only completely effective prevention measure. Not for a minute, not with the windows down, not with the car running with air conditioning. There is no safe scenario for leaving a child or pet alone in a vehicle.
Create Reminder Systems
Many incidents occur when caregivers become distracted or break from routine. Create systems that prevent forgetting:
- Place your phone, handbag, or wallet in the back seat near the child's car seat
- Use apps that remind you to check the back seat when your car stops
- Ask your childcare provider to call if your child doesn't arrive as expected
- Keep a stuffed animal in the car seat; move it to the front seat when the child is present as a visual reminder
Lock Vehicles to Prevent Access
Some hot car tragedies occur when children access unlocked vehicles independently. Always lock your car when not in use, even at home. Keep keys out of children's reach. Teach children that cars are not safe play areas.
Use Sun Protection
While sunshades don't make it safe to leave anyone in a vehicle, they do reduce interior temperatures significantly. This provides a safety margin if you discover someone has been accidentally left in a vehicle, potentially giving more time for rescue. Comprehensive sun protection including windscreen shades, side window covers, and tinted windows all contribute to lower interior temperatures.
What to Do in an Emergency
If You See a Child or Pet in a Hot Car
- Assess the situation: Does the child or animal appear distressed? Are they conscious and alert, or lethargic and unresponsive?
- Try to find the owner: Have nearby businesses page the vehicle's owner. This may resolve the situation fastest.
- Call 000 immediately if the child or animal shows signs of distress or the vehicle is locked and the owner cannot be found.
- In an emergency, you may need to break a window. Target a window away from the victim. Use a tool designed for breaking car glass if available—tempered glass can be difficult to break.
- Remove the victim and begin cooling them with whatever is available—water, cool cloths, moving to shade and air conditioning.
All Australian states have provisions that protect people from liability when they break into a vehicle to rescue a child or animal in immediate danger. The key is that there must be a genuine belief that the person or animal is at risk of serious harm.
Recognising Heat Stroke
Signs in children include: hot, red, dry skin (no sweating); rapid, strong pulse; throbbing headache; dizziness; nausea; confusion; unconsciousness.
Signs in dogs include: excessive panting; drooling; red gums; vomiting; diarrhoea; loss of coordination; collapse.
First Aid for Heat Stroke
While waiting for emergency services:
- Move the victim to the coolest available location
- Remove excess clothing (from humans)
- Apply cool (not ice cold) water to the skin
- Fan the victim to promote evaporation
- For dogs, focus cooling on the neck, armpits, and between hind legs
- Do not force water on an unconscious victim
Community Responsibility
Preventing hot car tragedies is a community responsibility. Be aware of vehicles in car parks, particularly during summer. If something seems wrong, don't hesitate to investigate and call for help if needed. A moment of your attention could save a life.
Share this information with others. Many people genuinely don't understand how quickly cars heat up or how dangerous this is. Education remains our most powerful prevention tool.