However, despite countless warnings about the dangers, a survey conducted by MummyPages.ie found that nearly half of mums (48%) surveyed condone the practice of leaving children unaccompanied in a car if it is ‘only for a short time’, while 55% of mums describing this type of behaviour as ‘commonplace.’
While no parent wants to wake a sleeping baby the results of leaving them in the car can be potentially fatal, as can be witnessed by the sheer number of reported deaths coming from the US.
Thankfully, over 52% of mums surveyed objected to leaving children in cars unaccompanied because it’s dangerous (88%), it’s morally wrong (62%), it compromises the safety of the child (58%) and because it causes emotional, physical and mental trauma (44%).
However, while nearly half of those surveyed admitted to leaving their own child unaccompanied in their car, 75% feel parents who leave children unaccompanied for long periods of time should be prosecuted.
While reports of incidences of children being left in the car are constantly coming in from across the pond, the matter was brought closer to home in April of this year when Gardai were called to The Square Tallaght. A child had been left in a car for over an hour and the authorities had to break into it before taking the youngster to hospital to be assessed.
While there have been no reported prosecutions in Ireland, according to MummyPages’ research, three out of four mums are calling for parents to be penalised if found guilty of leaving children unattended for a long period of time.
The research has identified a number of factors contributing to this issue, with 9 in 10 mums (94%) insisting that retailers and government need to do more to ensure there is enough family car park spaces available, making it easier for mums taking children in and out of their car seats.
Commenting on the findings Laura Haugh, Mum-in-Residence for MummyPages, said: “Most parents have wrestled with their conscience when they have a sleeping child or more than one child all strapped safely in their car seats and they just need to jump out of the car for a minute or two. However, despite the inconvenience, unbuckling or indeed waking a sleeping baby, really is the safest option. The potential dangers are plentiful including choking on food or a toy with nobody to hear them, another car crashing into the parked car, heatstroke, a break-in to include kidnapping or carjacking, the hand brake being release unknowingly by a child out of their seat, and so many more.”
“The public plays an important role when it comes to protecting children, if they see a distressed child alone in a car it is in the child’s best interest to take action. Standing next to the car for a few minutes, while another person attempts to locate the parent in the local shops should be the first course of action before then calling the police. Any use of force to break into the car through a window should only be done in an extreme emergency situation.”
