Although fall is coming, we are still having hot days in the Chicago area. Keep in mind, that heatstroke deaths can happen on 75 degree, sunny days, too. Young children left alone in a hot vehicle can die of heat stroke very quickly, and on average 38 children lose their lives each year – with more than half under the age of two. In just 10 minutes, a car can heat up 20 degrees. Even on mild or cloudy days, temperatures inside vehicles can reach life-threatening levels and l

Benjamin de Young is a Master of Public Health candidate studying epidemiology at Northwestern University. He is interested in the prevention of injury and violence in the Chicagoland area. He works with preventable injury and violence frequently as an Emergency Department technician in the AdvocateAurora Health system. Title: Preventing Chicago Traffic Deaths in 2021 Going out? Grab your mask--but take your foot off the gas. Americans took fewer trips and drove fewer miles i

The weather is heating up and adults are more distracted than ever before. We're also out of our normal routines. All of these issues add up to a perfect recipe for heatstroke related deaths. A few tips to remember Never, ever leave a child alone in a car - not even for a few seconds. If you see a child unattended in a vehicle, call 911 immediately. Lock your car doors when you park your vehicle, even in your own driveway. Kids can some times gain access to the vehicle and n

Since the stay at home order was issued in Illinois, I've been working remotely. Luckily, my home office is right next to the window. As I look outside, I'm seeing more and more kids riding their bikes. Most of the younger kids are wearing helmets, many of the older ones are not. Everyone and I mean everyone (little kids, big kids, teenagers AND parents) should be wearing one when they're riding. They are a really important safety device and can prevent brain injury in many

I know the world is very concerned about the spread of COVID-19 right now and rightly so. I do want to take the opportunity to spread the message about another epidemic in our lives that kills thousands of people each year - distracted driving. The statistics are staggering. One in four car crashes involves distraction. Right now, 10% of the drivers on the road are using their cell phones. When you look down at your phone to text, it's like driving with your eyes closed for