NHTSA Announces New Measure
To Enhance the Safety of Power Window Switches
For the Protection of Children in Passenger Vehicles

Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D., administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), today announced a regulatory upgrade to enhance the safety of power window switches and prevent child deaths and injuries caused by the inadvertent closing of car windows.

While the agency’s upgraded power window standard does not specify a particular design, it will require that all passenger vehicles manufactured for sale in the United States be equipped with a safer switch.

The regulation will prohibit non-recessed "rocker" or "toggle" switches that can be unintentionally activated by a small child playing in a car. Most manufacturers are expected to comply with the new rule through the use of recessed switches, or "pull up-push down" switches that must be lifted to close the window.

Dr. Runge and U.S. Senator Mike DeWine of Ohio, a strong advocate of child passenger safety measures, unveiled the new regulation during a visit to the Columbus Children’s Hospital in Ohio today.

"This regulation will prevent the tragedy of a child’s head or limb being caught in a power window. Although these incidents are infrequent, a simple, inexpensive remedy is available and should be standard practice," Dr. Runge said.

"Consumer advocacy groups and parent organizations deserve much of the credit for promoting this regulatory action by NHTSA," he said.

A small but persistent number of injuries and fatalities occur each year when young children inadvertently close power windows on themselves by leaning against a window’s switch or by kneeling or standing on it.

A number of anecdotal reports of child deaths and injuries related to power windows have been received by NHTSA in recent years. These non-crash events are not yet included in NHTSA’s databases. But an average of three fatalities every two years have been confirmed by the agency through a recent review of death certificates.

The regulatory upgrade, a change to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 118, is expected to accelerate the trend by auto manufacturers, many of which are already installing safer power window switches in new vehicles. Safer switches will be mandated in cars, vans, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles made for sale in the U.S. on or after October 1, 2008.

The final amendment to the NHTSA rule can be accessed by visiting the agency’s website: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/rules/rulings/ChildRestrSyst/Index.html.

###