Remember

For many kids, a car trunk looks like a fun place t o play or hide. Tragically, many families have discovered that kids can get in but they can't always get out.

Children can access trunks in several ways, even without having the vehicle's keys. Most cars have a lever or button located near the driver's seat that props the trunk open, while other cars also have fold-down seats or a "pass through" that enables children to climb into the trunk from the back seat.

Cars manufactured after 2001 must have an emergency trunk release - a glow-in-the-dark handle that will open the trunk from the inside in an emergency. Unlocked cars are open invitations for children to explore. Parents should teach children that vehicles are not toys and they should never play in them.

Tips

• Teach children that trunks are only used to transport cargo and are not safe places to play.

• Show children how to locate and use the emergency trunk release found in newer cars.

• If a child is missing, check vehicle trunks immediately.

• Always lock a vehicle's doors and trunk - especially at home - and keep keys out of children's reach.

Child Passenger Safety Web site

More about Child Passenger Safety

Suggested Links

• Kids In Cars - Information about keeping kids safe in or around cars

• Hyperthermia Deaths of Children in Vehicles

• Spot The Tot and Safe Kids Utah: Violence and Injury Prevention Program at the Utah Department of Health

• GM Safety Information