Thursday, September 23, 2010

We're in the Middle of Child Passenger Safety Week

Contributed by Norm Nyhuis, Trainer and Child Seat Installation Specialist
Did you know that in 2008 – among child passengers under the age of five – child restraints saved the lives of an estimated 244 children? Yet, motor vehicle crashes continue to be the leading cause of death for children ages three and older.

Because child safety seats and booster seats save lives when used correctly, it’s critical that parents and caregivers know the importance of securing all children in appropriate child safety seats, booster seats or seat belts.

We need your help to make the 2010 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Child Passenger Safety Week (September 19-25) and Seat Check Saturday (September 25) a success.

Follow these simple steps to spread the word to Washington’s fire, medical and media communities:
  1. Forward this message along to any of your Safety Committee, Community Outreach Group, as well as local, regional or state EMS and fire personnel to notify them of the upcoming Child Passenger Safety Week & Safety Check Saturday.

  2. Engage local media partners to highlight the PREVENTABLE nature of injuries sustained from incorrect safety seat use.

  3. Direct parents to the NHTSA website where they can look for inspection stations in their area. Or if you are in Seattle, schedule a Safety Seat Check with Safety Norm 206-382-4090

  4. Download earned media and creative materials (English & Spanish) from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration campaign planner.

  5. Review your state’s child passenger safety law .

  6. Promote your support as medical and fire personnel by submitting editorial letters to your local newspapers about the national campaign.

We are grateful for your continued support of child passenger safety efforts, and we hope you will be active in the upcoming National Child Passenger Safety Week. Please talk to your friends, relatives & coworkers and write to your local newspapers about the campaign. With your participation, we can keep our children safe.

Thank you for your support!

2 comments:

  1. Study: Many parents still not placing children in safety seats properly

    Fewer children died in roadway crashes in 2009, but many children still are not being placed in an appropriate child restraint or booster seat, new research (.pdf file) http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811377.pdf released Thursday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows.

    Findings from the 2009 National Survey of the Use of Booster Seats show:

    *41 percent of 4- to 7-year-old children were restrained in booster seats, compared with 43 percent in 2008.
    *Restraint use for children 1 to 3 years old increased to 96 percent from 92 percent.
    *Restraint use among non-Hispanic black or African-American children improved slightly, although restraint use among Hispanic children was significantly lower than non-Hispanic children across all age groups.

    A new NHTSA report (.pdf file) http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811387.pdf on child fatalities also shows:

    *5,366 passenger vehicle occupants 14 and younger were involved in fatal crashes; 23 percent of those fatalities were unrestrained and 46 percent of fatally injured were unrestrained.
    *Child safety seats reduce fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers.
    *Child restraint use saved the lives of an estimated 309 children younger than 5.

    ReplyDelete
  2. New NCSA publications on children & booster seat use:

    1. The 2009 National Survey of the Use of Booster Seats report: The report presents results from the 2009 National Survey of the Use of Booster Seats (NSUBS), the only probability-based nationwide child restraint survey in the United States that observes restraint use and interviews an adult occupant to collect race, ethnicity, and other data. You can view the complete report by following the link - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811377.pdf

    2. Traffic Safety Facts Children 2009: This is an annual NCSA publication that has been updated with the latest 2009 data. You can view the complete fact sheet by following the link - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811387.pdf

    3. Booster Seat Effectiveness based on CDS and State Data report: Statistical analyses based on NASS CDS data from 1998-2008 and 17 combined years of State data from Kansas, Washington, and Nebraska estimate the effects of early graduation from child restraint seats to booster seats and of early graduation from booster seats to lap and shoulder belts. The principal findings are that among 3- and 4-year-olds there is evidence of reduced risk of injury when restrained with the recommended child restraints rather than in booster seats. You can view the complete report by following the link - http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811338.pdf

    ReplyDelete

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