Children left in cars

Discodog

There is a thread discussing this & it made me wonder if it's illegal. It's clearly irresponsible to leave a child unattended in a car & the RSA specifically mention it, but is it illegal ?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Little CuChulainn

It really depends. If you are running in to pay for petrol while the little one is asleep in the car then I can't see how you would be breaking any law. If you go in to do the shopping on a warm day and leave the kids in the car you might find them taken into care.

Discodog

However the RSA, who seem to have a say in Garda policy, say this:

Infants or young children should never be left unattended in a motor vehicle. A variety of hazards can arise, even if you are only away for a short while.

These include:

an outbreak of fire,
breathing problems on warm days,
accidental trapping of children in electronically operated windows, and
leaving your car keys in your car when you are not in it.

If a Guard is passing a car & sees an unattended child, how do they know how long the person will be? Most garages have shops & paying for fuel can turn into a longer exercise. It's easy for the parent to become distracted & take longer than they thought.

Little CuChulainn

Discodog wrote: »

However the RSA, who seem to have a say in Garda policy, say this:

Infants or young children should never be left unattended in a motor vehicle. A variety of hazards can arise, even if you are only away for a short while.

These include:

an outbreak of fire,
breathing problems on warm days,
accidental trapping of children in electronically operated windows, and
leaving your car keys in your car when you are not in it.

If a Guard is passing a car & sees an unattended child, how do they know how long the person will be? Most garages have shops & paying for fuel can turn into a longer exercise. It's easy for the parent to become distracted & take longer than they thought.

RSA have no say over this policy as it is a child welfare issue. Each Garda will make a decision based on the individual circumstances.

SteoL

This infuriates me. A number of years ago on a stifling hot day I walked past a car which had a child soaked through with sweat, could have rung their clothes out. They were strapped into a child seat. I looked around to see if I could see their parents. Nobody around so I took my phone out and started to dial 112. Suddenly this woman runs out of a nearby restaurant so I asked her is that your child. Yes she says. Well take more care if her, you're very lucky I was just about to call the guards I told her. I was so annoyed for rest of the day. Poor child could have got heat stroke or something while she's sitting enjoying a meal.

Discodog

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

RSA have no say over this policy as it is a child welfare issue. Each Garda will make a decision based on the individual circumstances.

One could say the same with childseats & seat belts. It is taking place in a motor vehicle in a public place.

Discodog

SteoL wrote: »

This infuriates me. A number of years ago on a stifling hot day I walked past a car which had a child soaked through with sweat, could have rung their clothes out. They were strapped into a child seat. I looked around to see if I could see their parents. Nobody around so I took my phone out and started to dial 112. Suddenly this woman runs out of a nearby restaurant so I asked her is that your child. Yes she says. Well take more care if her, you're very lucky I was just about to call the guards I told her. I was so annoyed for rest of the day. Poor child could have got heat stroke or something while she's sitting enjoying a meal.

Go to any supermarket carpark & you will see it all day long. One kid managed to lock it's parent out of the car & then refused to let him in. In another car the children had set off the alarm & looked terrified as security searched for the owner.

Little CuChulainn

Discodog wrote: »

One could say the same with childseats & seat belts. It is taking place in a motor vehicle in a public place.

Not really sure what influence you think the RSA have over the Gardaí in regard to these laws.

GM228

Discodog wrote: »

One could say the same with childseats & seat belts. It is taking place in a motor vehicle in a public place.

All the RSA state in relation to child seats and seat belts is what is required under Irish law as per European law.

The RSA can say whatever they like but unless it's something which is an actual law it's pretty irrelevant from the point of view of the Gardaí.

Mrs OBumble

The car bit of the question is a red-herring.

Infants or young children should never be left unattended.

Not in a car, not in a bar.
Not in a park, no not for a lark.
Not in a swimming pool, or a cafe so cool,
Not in a shopping centre, to make like a fool
Not in a house while you pop to the neighbours,
or head out to work for for a day of hard labours.
Not on a bus, not on a plane.
Not a farm, to jump in the drain.

The end.

Sam Kade

SteoL wrote: »

This infuriates me. A number of years ago on a stifling hot day I walked past a car which had a child soaked through with sweat, could have rung their clothes out. They were strapped into a child seat. I looked around to see if I could see their parents. Nobody around so I took my phone out and started to dial 112. Suddenly this woman runs out of a nearby restaurant so I asked her is that your child. Yes she says. Well take more care if her, you're very lucky I was just about to call the guards I told her. I was so annoyed for rest of the day. Poor child could have got heat stroke or something while she's sitting enjoying a meal.

What did she say to you after the lecture?

4ensic15

There is a more serious reason for not leaving a child alone in a car. What if somethings happens to the parent. Suppose they are struck by a heart attack or a vehicle and taken to hospital unconscious?

GM228

4ensic15 wrote: »

There is a more serious reason for not leaving a child alone in a car. What if somethings happens to the parent. Suppose they are struck by a heart attack or a vehicle and taken to hospital unconscious?

Or the same happens to the child and by the time the parent returns it's too late.

Common sense does not always prevail.

Little CuChulainn

4ensic15 wrote: »

There is a more serious reason for not leaving a child alone in a car. What if somethings happens to the parent. Suppose they are struck by a heart attack or a vehicle and taken to hospital unconscious?

Same thing could happen at home when the parent is supervising the child alone. Sometimes **** happens.

GM228

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

Same thing could happen at home when the parent is supervising the child alone. Sometimes **** happens.

Problem is in a car the child may have nobody coming back for them any time soon, at least in the home the child may witness it and be aware of what's going on and be able to get help.

GerardKeating

4ensic15 wrote: »

There is a more serious reason for not leaving a child alone in a car. What if somethings happens to the parent. Suppose they are struck by a heart attack or a vehicle and taken to hospital unconscious?

A child alone in a parked car might get more notice that at home, if there is no one else in the house with the parent and child.

4ensic15

Little CuChulainn wrote: »

Same thing could happen at home when the parent is supervising the child alone. Sometimes **** happens.

A parent could fall sick or injured at home but it is unlikely that the child would be in as much danger or be out of contact for long.

Sam Kade

Discodog wrote: »

Go to any supermarket carpark & you will see it all day long. One kid managed to lock it's parent out of the car & then refused to let him in. In another car the children had set off the alarm & looked terrified as security searched for the owner.

Then when they bring them into the supermarket and they start screaming wanting this and that the parent gets dirty looks from all round, damned if you do damned if you don't.

SteoL

Sam Kade wrote: »

What did she say to you after the lecture?

Didn't give her a lecture. She shrugged and said they were only in the restaurant a few minutes.