A safety sensing and/or release system for a closed compartment of a vehicle is operable to detect an occupant within the vehicle compartment. The system may be operable to sense ambient conditions in the vehicle compartment, and may generate a control signal in response to the sensed conditions. The system may actuate indicators to notify operators of the vehicle that there is a person or animal detected in the compartment. Optionally, the system may open the vehicle compartment in response to a detection of an occupant and the sensed conditions. The safety system includes a false trigger protection means that limits or reduces false detections of a person or animal within the compartment.