Look before you lock

Create a routine

Building simple steps into your daily routine can help you to avoid unintentionally leaving a child in a vehicle.

• Place an item you will need at your destination in the back seat of the car, such as your bag or wallet.
• Attach a mirror for rear-facing car seats so you can easily see your child.
• Create a mental checklist to run through every time you leave the car, such as 'baby, keys, phone, bag'.
• Get in the habit of checking your backseat every time you get out of the car. Check even if you know your child is not with you. This will help make looking part of your normal routine.
• Look Before You Lock. Every. Single. Time.

Discuss your Look Before You Lock routine with every person who drives your child. This includes partners, grandparents, babysitters and friends.

Be extra alert if your routine changes to avoid unintentionally leaving your child in your vehicle.

How stress and distraction impact short-term memory

In protecting children from the dangers of heat in vehicles (PDF, 940KB), the Queensland Family and Child Commission warns that circumstances can arise that increase the risk of a child becoming hidden, trapped or left unattended inside a vehicle.

Our brains are wired to fall into patterns and routines, known as motor memory. From this, habits form where an activity becomes an unconscious action, such as driving.

Distraction, lack of sleep and stress can affect short-term memory. When this happens, people may go on ‘autopilot’ as habitual routines take over. As a result, they may forget an item was missed or even believe they completed a task when they did not.

This is why having a Look Before You Lock routine is so important.

Never leave a child alone

Never leave a child alone in a car, even if you plan to be in and out of the shops in no time.

Temperatures inside a vehicle can reach dangerous levels quickly, so always take them with you.

In an emergency

Importantly, if you accidentally lock your child in a car, or you come across a child left unattended in a vehicle:

1. keep calm
2. think clearly and act quickly
3. call your roadside assistance provider if you have one
4. call 000 immediately if you have any concerns about the child's health.

Guidance for services transporting children

Getting children to and from early childhood education and care services is a big responsibility.

Every day, families across Queensland rely on early childhood services and transport operators to transport their children safely.

Services that transport children must be vigilant of the dangers of leaving children in vehicles and have strategies in place to manage the risks and protect children in their care.

Training and policies and procedures regarding transporting children should be reviewed regularly. Routine safety practices, such as ensuring records are up-to-date, roll checks, head counts and physical vehicle inspections, should be undertaken consistently and without exception.

Watch the department’s Look Before You Lock procedural video to help services ensure children are always transported safely.

Resources and communication materials for services

Resources and communication materials are available to promote the importance of the Look Before You Lock message.

• Amplification pack
• Postcard for parents—English
• Posters
• Signature block (JPG, 30KB)
• Social tile 1 (JPG, 703KB)
• Social tile 2 (JPG, 711KB)
• Social tile 3 (JPG, 769KB)
• Social tile 4 (JPG, 601KB)
• Social tile 5 (JPG, 633KB)
• Social tile 6 (JPG, 796KB)

Services can also order stickers and resources to be mailed out.

YouTube videos

• Look Before You Lock for early childhood services
• Look Before You Lock safe transportation procedural video

Translated postcard

Translated postcards for services to print and share this important message with parents: