Cook County Sheriff's Office Will Feature Carjacking Safety Booth For First Time At This Year's Chicago Auto Show
CHICAGO (CBS) -- With the city's carjacking crisis, car safety is important and on top of mind.
CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reports for the first time ever, mixed among the electrics and crossovers, you'll find a carjacking safety booth at this year's show.
The Chicago Auto Show showing off on opening weekend. But among the fancy rides, you'll also see the Cook County Sheriff cruiser on display.
why?
For the first time, a carjacking booth at an otherwise family-friendly event
A major part of the event is surveillance videos of carjackings across the county and where so you know what to look for, so you don't become the next victim.
Incidents are now up about 40 percent in cook county, year to year.
The situation in Cook County was pretty bad last year.
The sheriff's office is pushing for people who plan to buy cars this weekend to purchase one with tracking technology. They say this can help cops find carjacked vehicles more quickly
and get them off the road so they can't be used in other crimes.
"The reason it takes a period of time here is because there is a delay between when the carjacking happens and when the manufacturer can initiate the tracking of the car."
A big part of that is getting manufacturers on board -- the sheriff asking 11 major automakers to set up a 24/7 hotline that both customers and law enforcement can use to track cars.
Marissa: How feasible is this and how likely are manufacturers to get on board?
Paul: conceptually it makes sense. Technically it's becoming easier and easier the question is this issue of consent.
Paul Eisenstein, with the Detroit Bureau with decades of experience in the auto industry, says consent meaning the driver needs to sign off.
"In many ways, I feel the industry is moving faster. It's just a question of what the sheriff wants with what the manufacturers can do," Eisenstein said.
The sheriff's office says some manufacturers so far have been more receptive than others when it comes to moving forward with that 24/7 carjacking tip line.
Industry experts say you can sign up for consent to be tracked at the booth this weekend and ask officers questions from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The biggest tip from officers?
"The worst thing you can do is pull over and turn on your flashers."