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In an effort aimed mostly at U.S. automakers, the child safety advocacy group, Kids and Cars, plans on asking federal regulators to require installing safer power-window switches in cars and trucks.

Since 1990, at least 26 children have been killed and at least 26 injured after having power windows close on them, according to Kids and Cars.

Becky Hergatt, nurse and Buick Regal owner, can’t understand why automakers don’t install safer window switches. Her 5-year old son nearly choked to death recently by a power window.

The problem lies in rocker or toggle switches that are pushed down to close a window, easily activated by a child or pet, simply by leaning on the switch. Newer, safer switches must be pulled up to raise a window.

Asian and European carmakers require power window switches that must be pulled up to activate, but U.S. automakers, General Motors, Ford and Chrysler still use the older rocker or toggle switches in some of their models. All three automakers plan on phasing in the new switches over the next several years, although they won’t commit to installing them in all future vehicles.

In 2001, GM introduced the Saturn Vue, a sport-utility vehicle with pull-up switches. In addition to the Saturn Vue, GM has installed pull-up switches in the new Chevy Malibu, Hummer H2, Saturn L, Cadillac models, minivans and full-sized pickups. However, GM launched the Saturn Ion with rocker switches last fall. GM spokesman Jim Schell says the small car’s electrical system was lifted out of the Chevy Cavalier, which was designed in the late 1980s. When commenting about GM models that don’t have pull-up switches, Schell says, “We do all we can to communicate that children and pets should never be left alone in the car and never with keys.”

By law, GM, Ford and Chrysler are required to equip their vehicles sold in Europe with the safer switches. Kids and Cars executive director, Janette Fennell, objects to U.S. automakers offering safer cars in Europe than in the USA. “This is another situation the industry has known about for over 30 years,” says Fennell.

Chrysler spokeswoman, Angela Spencer-Ford says, “We agree with Kids and Cars on this point.” Chrysler’s newest vehicles, Pacifica and Crossfire, are equipped with the pull-up switches.

Engineering changes are made when automakers redesign a vehicle from top to bottom, approximately every four to seven years. Additionally, parts suppliers also make it cheaper to use the older switches.