Detroit Child Strangled By Power Window

Detroit December 23, 2006; Two consumer safety groups KIDS AND CARS and Consumers Union – responding to yesterday’s power window strangulation death involving a 3 year old Detroit girl - called on automakers to speed up adoption of safer power window switches. They also renewed their call for Congress to enact pending power window safety legislation that will require power windows automatically reverse if they hit an obstruction.

"The automakers have known for years that power windows can do grave harm - including strangling children," said Janette Fennell, founder and president of KIDS AND CARS. "That this tragic death occurred on a late model vehicle - a Pontiac, made by General Motors - is inexcusable."

Consumer and safety groups have been asking federal regulators, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, (NHTSA) for many decades to require automatic reverse mechanisms on power windows to prevent children from being strangled and others from being injured by powerful power windows. Installing anti-trap technology in all car power windows is proposed in bipartisan bills introduced in both the US House and Senate. (The Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars Act, HR 2230 and S. 1948) In 2005, after efforts by safety groups, Congress passed legislation requiring power window switches be made safer to prevent injuries and death to children. That legislation has yet to go into effect.

"It's a terrible shame to see a child died in a totally preventable incident," said Sally Greenberg, Senior Product Safety Counsel. "We are reminded when incidents like these occur that we have much unfinished business in making cars safer for children and their families. We urge Congress to pass the Kids And Cars Safety Act and urge the automakers to take the initiative in designing safer cars with children as a paramount consideration."

Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, has in its files a letter written in 1968 by Ralph Nader notifying federal regulators that two children died in power window strangulations and asking the government to address the problem. The federal government has never taken action on the hazards identified by Mr. Nader. In a 1997 study, the federal highway safety agency found that nearly 500 people each year are admitted to emergency rooms due to power window injuries.

Reports of this incident indicate the 3 year old was not restrained in a car seat at the time of the incident. Both groups urge parents and caregivers to ensure that children inside motor vehicles are always properly restrained.