Leaving a child in a parked car for a few minutes is safe

What the research found

Official Victorian health guidance says leaving a child alone in a locked car on any day, even for a short period, can be fatal. The temperature inside a parked car can be 20 to 30 degrees hotter than outside. A child's body temperature rises 3 to 5 times faster than an adult's.

A 2018 review of vehicle heat deaths in the United States found an average of 38 children a year die, mostly under 2 years old. It found serious illness can develop quickly, even on days when the temperature is fairly moderate.

A 2020 review of Italian cases found eight child deaths between 1998 and 2017. All happened in May to July, when average outside temperatures were between 16 and 27.5 °C. The children were aged 11 to 24 months. The authors called these deaths very rare but preventable.

What it doesn’t mean

• These deaths are rare, but they are preventable. Many happen when a parent forgets a child, not when they choose to leave them. Habits like putting a bag or phone in the back seat can help.
• Opening the windows does not fix the problem. Guidance says leaving windows down has little effect on the temperature inside, and large cars heat up as quickly as small ones.
• In every Australian state and territory it is illegal to leave a child unattended in a vehicle for any length of time. If you see a child alone in a hot car, get help urgently.