By Bruce Dayno
Chief of Police
Summer is a particularly vulnerable time for kids in cars. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 25 children die every year due to heat stroke caused by being left alone in a parked car. Temperatures inside of a vehicle can swell above 100 degrees in as little as ten minutes on a hot day. A cracked window does little to help because even on days when the temperature is cooler outside, your car can lock in heat that is intolerable to a child. A person leaving a child unattended in a motor vehicle is minimally committing a Class A misdemeanor. (See Illinois Statute 720 ILCS 5/12C-5)
Pets are just as susceptible. Ten minutes in a hot car can cause your animal to go into heat stress, which is identified by increasing panting, rapid pulse, glazed eyes, or vomiting. Even with the windows cracked, the excessive heat can cause brain damage or death from heatstroke. It is a Class C misdemeanor to confine any animal in a motor vehicle in such a manner that places it in a life or health-threatening situation by exposure to a prolonged period of extreme heat or cold, without proper ventilation or other protection from such heat or cold. (See Illinois Statue 510 ILCS 70/7.1)
“Look before you leave.” Check the backseat of your car every time you exit. Even if you don’t have pets or children, it is a good practice to check for visible valuables that present a crime of opportunity for thieves.
For questions or more information, contact:
Bruce Dayno
Chief of Police
847-945-1130
bdayno@riverwoods.gov
