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Look Before You Lock

By July 13, 2018Safety Tips
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that heatstroke is one of the leading causes of non-crash-related fatalities among children. Heatstroke begins when the core body temperature reaches about 104 degrees and the thermoregulatory system is overwhelmed. A core body temperature of about 107 degrees is lethal. Even great parents and caregivers can forget a child in the back seat. In any case, it is important to understand children are more vulnerable to heatstroke than adults. It is never okay to leave a child alone in or around a car for any reason. NHTSA Recommendations:
  1. Make it a habit of looking in the back seat before you lock the car
  2. Keep your car locked and your keys out of reach, because nearly 3 in 10 heatstroke deaths happen when an unattended child gains access to a vehicle
  3. Take-action if you notice a child alone in a car! Protecting children is everyone’s business
  4. Heatstroke can happen at any time of year and in any weather condition. Outside temperature in the mid-60s can cause the inside temperature of a car to rise above 110 degrees Fahrenheit through the “Greenhouse Effect.” The interior temperature can rise almost 20 degrees Fahrenheit within the first 10 minutes.
Your Illinois Sheriffs’ Association encourages you to adopt NHTSA’s “Look Before You Lock” suggestions to help prevent accidental heatstroke.