“Children are like wet cement whatever falls on them makes an impression.”
  

– Haim Ginott

Whilst it may not be illegal to leave a child alone in a car, it is an offence (child abuse) to leave a child alone if it places them at risk.  According to the website “childcaresa”, child abuse covers neglect which deals specifically with deliberately not providing for a child’s physical needs (such as food, warmth, shelter or protection from danger) and this includes leaving a child alone in a car or at home.

Your child, if left alone, for any length of time, could experience any of the following:-

1. Trauma due to fear of being left alone
2. Heatstroke (even when the temperature is a mild 22 degrees Celsius, the temperature inside a car can increase by 10 to 20 degrees, in as little as an hour. Heat strokemay occur when the body’s temperature passes 40 degrees Celsius. This overwhelms the brain’s temperature control, causing symptoms such as dizziness, disorientation, confusion, sluggishness, seizure, loss of consciousness, and even death.)
3. Being snatched by strangers for the purpose of child trafficking and worse

According to an article on the website “WebMD” an  emergency room doctor,  Christopher McStay, MD, advises that it is never okay to leave children and pets in cars even with the windows down. The greenhouse effect that causes the temperature to get exceedingly hot, in a short space of time, can prove fatal. Children are especially vulnerable as their bodies, unlike adults, are not as adept at cooling down through sweating. Thus even a few minutes can be extremely dangerous for a small child.

We all have a moral responsibility, according to the Children’s Act and the website “childcaresa”  to report cases, or suspected cases, of child abuse to the police, social workers or any Child Protection organisation in the area.

As a bystander, if you see a child in distress, alone in a hot vehicle, call the Police immediately on 10111 or  08600 10 111.

If the child appear to be in immediate distress due to the heat, get them out as quickly as possible, (call security if they are available, break the window if necessary – ensuring that the child is as far as possible from any flying glass)

Do not remove the child unless the child is in immediate and serious danger.

It is up to each parent to use their own judgement of their child’s maturity and the circumstances at the time, before even considering, in cases of emergency, to leave them alone, in a car or at home etc. It is difficult to sit in judgement when daily, around the world, this type of behaviour is taking place. However, when parents leave their children in the car only because they don’t want the hassle of getting them in and out, this is lazy parenting and should not be condoned.

Parents must weigh up if, in the circumstances, leaving their child unattended in the car, even for a moment, is worth it. Keeping in mind that often one second is all it takes for something horrible to happen.

5 Points to Remember

1. Never leave children unattended in a vehicle (whether it is running or not)
2. Absolutely never leave a baby unattended in a vehicle (heat exhaustion can prove fatal)
3. Act immediately (especially if the child appears to be in immediate danger)
4. Call the Police and get security officers, if available, to assist
5. Carefully consider all the possible consequences (before making any decision to leave your child alone in a car).

Related Links

WebMD | Hot Cars and Child Death Prevention

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