Emergency Trunk-Release Lever Saves Lives
The group estimates that every year, 10 to 20 people, including kidnapped adults, die trapped in a car trunk. Older model cars without an emergency trunk release handle make escape difficult. Trunk temperatures rise sharply, resulting in heat-related deaths.
There is good news for concerned parents who own older vehicles that never came with an internal lock release for the trunk. Kids and Cars urges parents who own older cars to consider buying a trunk-lever retrofit kit, sold for as low as $9.99 in some places. This adds an emergency trunk release lever to cars that didn’t originally come with an internal release. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers the following prevention tips:
- Teach children that vehicle trunks are for cargo, not for hide-and-seek.
- Always supervise your children carefully when in and around vehicles.
- Check the trunk right away if your child is missing.
- Lock your car doors and trunk and be sure keys and remote-entry devices are out of sight and reach of your kids.
- Keep the rear fold-down seats closed/locked to keep your children from climbing into the trunk from inside your car.
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