Campaign warns of dangers of leaving kids in hot cars
The temperature inside a locked car can reach 60 degrees on a hot day.
Childcare centres, council carparks and sporting facilities will be blitzed with hundreds of signs warning against leaving children in hot cars as the mercury soars to 36C in Melbourne today.
A suburban council is spending more than $50,000 to try to save lives as frustrated paramedics attend rising numbers of cases.
Kidsafe Victoria wants shopping centres and supermarkets to join the campaign as Melbourne experiences a prolonged flush of hot temperatures this week.
On a 29C day, a car can reach 44C within 10 minutes and 60C in 20 minutes
More than 200 cases of children stuck in cars were reported in the first five weeks of this year, with east and south Melbourne the worst areas.
Moonee Valley Council has teamed up with Kidsafe to install hundreds of the 'Do Not Leave Children in Cars" signs, warning the temperature in a car can be 20-30C hotter than outside. On a 29C day, a car can reach 44C within 10 minutes and 60C in 20 minutes.
Ambulance Victoria figures show 42 per cent of incidents occur between 11am and 3pm. The safety initiative will be launched today with hopes all councils around Australia will introduce the signage.
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