Child-Proofing A Car Trunk
Last summer, 11 children died in the US after locking themselves in car trunks. Those deaths could have been prevented, the Centers for Disease Control says. Its experts recommend that parents keep car keys out of the reach of children, and keep cars locked when they're not in use.
Soon there will be another safety measure to consider. In conjunction with the National Safe Kids Campaign, General Motors has developed a new latch that provides an easy escape from inside the trunk. CBS This Morning Co-Host Mark McEwen spoke to the man who designed the new latch, General Motors design engineer Jim Robertson.
Early next year, GM will offer child-resistant trunk kits for most passenger cars made in 1990 or later. They'll be available from dealers as a retrofit. The kits help prevent trunk lids from unintentionally closing on children, and provide a means of escape for a child who does become trapped inside.
Designer Robertson says: "Our system includes a trap-resistant latch which, when a person opens their trunk normally, automatically goes into non-latching mode. This prevents a child from being able to latch themselves in the trunk."
Should a child manage to get into the trunk and latch it, there's a way out, Robertson says: "We have included an interior handle assembly in a recessed pocket. We have included two LEDs [light indicators] as part of the handle assembly to help a child find the assembly in the dark."
The handle assembly is designed so that a child can work it intuitively, Robertson notes.
However, it's still important for parents to warn their children and educate them not to play in and around vehicles, Robertson says. Even if they have this installed on their vehicles, their neighbors might not.
The device is expected to be available at GM dealerships starting in March for an installed price of $50.
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