Prevent Vehicular Heatstroke | South Carolina Department of Public Health

Updated: June 22, 2026

Drawn orange gradient image with white cars. Text says "In just 10 minutes, a car can heat up 20 degrees and become deadly. Leaving a child in a vehicle can happen to anyone, even you! Look before you lock. Every time.".

Protecting kids from heatstroke, especially young children, needs to be discussed with the entire family and any caregivers. A young child is particularly at risk because their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s. The 1,042 children who have died from vehicular heatstroke in the United States (1998-2025) have ranged in age from five days to 14 years. The majority (54%) were under the age of two years old. In more than half of these hot car deaths, the caregiver forgot the child was in the car. A car’s temperature can increase19 degrees in just 10 minutes and cracking a window doesn’t help.
(Source:  NoHeatStroke.org)

Prevent Heatstroke

Reduce the number of deaths from heatstroke by remembering to ACT:

Avoid Heatstroke

Avoid heatstroke–related injury and death by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even for a minute. And make sure to keep your car locked when you're not inside so kids don't get in on their own.

Create Reminders

Keep a stuffed animal or other memento in your child's car seat when it's empty and move it to the front seat as a visual reminder when your child is in the back seat. Or place and secure your phone, briefcase, or purse in the backseat when traveling with your child. This forces you to look for both the phone and child when exiting the vehicle. Wear the Look Before You Lock bracelet to have a visual reminder the child is locked in a car seat.

Take Action

If you see a child alone in a car, call 911.
Emergency personnel want you to call.
They are trained to respond to these situations.

Look Before You Lock – Bracelet Reminder System

DPH designed the bracelet reminder system to help prevent childhood vehicular heatstroke.

The Look Before You Lock - Bracelet Reminder System is a way to help increase awareness about heatstroke and the dangers of leaving a child alone in the car.
Parents and caregivers should wear the bracelet each and every time their child is in the backseat.
As you place the child in the car seat and buckle, put on the bracelet. Wear the bracelet while you are driving to remind you that your child is in the car with you.
When you unlock the child and take them in your arms, place the bracelet around the lock, in the same place, leaving the bracelet in the vehicle.
Develop a routine of wearing the bracelet to remind you that the baby is locked in the car. If you walk away from the car with the bracelet on, then immediately go back and check for the child. Never leave a child alone in the vehicle.

A limited supply of Look Before You Lock bracelets were purchased through the SC Department of Public Safety Highway Safety Grant. You may request the Look Before You Lock bracelet by contacting a Safe Kids Coordinator. For more information, email injury@dph.sc.gov.