BOISE, Idaho — They're tragic stories heard all too often when the weather starts heating up: Infants and children left in hot cars, sometimes resulting in death.
Now, Boise police and St. Luke's Children's Hospital are partnering to help prevent youngsters, seniors and pets from suffering as temperatures rise.
Police and St. Luke's have launched a safety campaign called Look Before You Lock.
Every year in the United States, about 40 children die from heat stroke after being left in a hot car. Last year, that number jumped to 52 across the nation.
Tonya Newberry, a detective with the Boise Police Department's Special Victims Unit, demonstrated on Wednesday the shocking - and sometimes fatal - disparity that exists in outdoor temperatures vs. those within a vehicle.
"Outside it's showing that it's about 65 degrees out here and this window has been down for a little while," she said. " But if you can see the temperature on the inside of the car, it's reading 106 degrees."
As part of this campaign, you'll start seeing flyers and posters at businesses all over the Treasure Valley urging you to Look Before You Lock.