Can my vehicle's sunroof or power windows injure my child?

Can my vehicle's sunroof or power windows injure my child?

Stephanie Tombrello (Child Passenger Safety Educator & Executive Director, SafetyBeltSafe USA) gives expert video advice on: What are the basic car safety rules that every child should learn?; How can I keep my child from misbehaving in the car while I drive?; Can my vehicle's sunroof or power windows injure my child? and more...

A sunroof and power windows can be very convenient for parents. But if a child is in a vehicle and is able to operate a power window either by error, or on purpose because they've seen parents do it, they can get their heads between the top of the window and the moving window pane. Then they panic and they can't reverse it. So we recommend that you have the type of power windows that can't be started by a child in error by pressing on something. In many vehicles you really can't operate the power window unless you're pulling up on it and you're thinking about doing it. And that does reduce the risk to some degree. But the main thing is not to leave your children alone in a motor vehicle. That is not appropriate. In fact, in some states, that is against the law.