Every Summer Kids Die in Hot Car Trunks

July 12, 2011— -- There are heat advisories in big chunks of the country this week thanks to triple digit temperatures a good time for a reminder that at least 20 children have already died after becoming trapped in hot cars this year. Three of those recent deaths were somewhere that can be completely preventable: the trunk of the car.

Oklahoma, last week. An 8-year-old boy is exploring the 1998 Chevy Cavalier his parents just bought, when he gets stuck in the trunk and dies in the heat.

"They don't know the dangers of it -- being in a closed vehicle," said Sondra Lockyer, the boy's aunt.

Indiana, last month. Two brothers climb into the trunk of their mom's 2000 Chevrolet Malibu and also die.

"I have a problem with that," said Janette Fennel of the advocacy group Kids and Cars.

Fennel feels ill every time she hears about a new case.

"I felt, why didn't I push harder? Why didn't I just absolutely not stop?" said Fennel.

Kids and Cars has repeatedly called on General Motors to recall its older vehicles and install trunk safety releases that allow people inside to escape.

Starting in 2002, all cars were required to have a glow-in-the-dark safety release inside the trunk. You just pull the latch, and the trunk opens.

Fennel says no one has ever died in the trunk of a newer vehicle that has a safety release.

"Those children, I feel very certain, would be alive today if there had been a trunk release in that vehicle."

GM makes more cars than any other company, so accidents are bound to happen in its vehicles. In a statement, GM put the responsibility back on parents, saying it has "worked...to alert parents and caregivers to the dangers of leaving children unattended in or around vehicles." We asked if GM plans to issue a recall, and the answer was 'No.'

If your vehicle was built before 2002, chances are there is no easy way to escape from inside the trunk. But in this economy, we want to make our cars last. So here are some safety tips:

Leaving children in the passenger compartment of the car is another tragic occurrence every summer. Here's prevention advice offered by Safe Kids:

To read the statement by General Motors, click here.