ANEC, a non-profit association defending consumer interests in European technical standards, is campaigning for parents to 'look before you lock'. This initiative encourages checking the back seat of cars to ensure children are not left unattended, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
Since 1998, data from Kids And Cars Safety indicates over 1,400 fatalities worldwide have been linked to children being left in vehicles. The majority of these victims were under five years old. The temperature inside a car can become life-threatening within minutes, even if outside temperatures are below 20°C or a window is left slightly open.
ANEC is calling for urgent action, including regulation to ensure consistent safety measures globally. They advocate for clear performance requirements for technological solutions and an increase in cars equipped with child detection sensors. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) shares these concerns, with its road safety manager, Caitlin Taylor, advising never to leave a child alone in a car, even for a few minutes.