The RAC have recently reported statistics to ECU Vanguard News concerning a jump in the number of children or animals locked in cars last year.
Image: Lara Tara via Pixabay.
According to RAC spokesperson Emily McCarthy there was nearly a 20 per cent rise in children or animals locked in cars from 2020 to 2021.
“It was an alarming increase going from 500 [in 2020] to 598 last year,” Ms McCarthy said.
“In saying that, any number of an animal or child lock in cars is horrible.
“A few years ago, one of our patrolmen came to us and informed us of this event that he had gone out to, [he was] crying because of how traumatic it was and it was a kid trapped in the vehicle.”
About five years ago the RAC implemented an emergency protocol for either members or non-members in the case of a report of a child or animal locked in a car.
Since its inception, the RAC noted an increasing trend.
There was 417 lock ins reported in 2019, compared to 500 in 2020, and another increase to nearly 600 in 2021.
According to the RAC, one of the main causes of children getting trapped is parents giving keys to their children to stop them crying or to keep them entertained.
