Search NHTSA Browse Service Center About Safe Communities Partnership - Links Best Practices Mobilizations and Crackdowns Traffic Safety/Injury Prevention Town Square Coalition Directory Coalition Success Stories Coalition Websites Product Shop - Materials Materials Catalog Tool Box/Downloads Resource Warehouse Safe Communities Startup Kit Quick Clicks Child Safety Seats Locate a Child Seat Fitting Station Child Seat "Ease of Use" Ratings File a Complaint About Your Vehicle or Child Seat Press Room Newest Studies and Reports Fuel Economy Speed-Related Information Recalls, Defects and Complaints Databases Teen Drivers About NHTSA Contact NHTSA << Safe Communities << Back      Print Version  Kentucky Coalition Efforts Successful in Madison County During a Madison County Safety Coalition (MCSC) meeting in the spring of 2005, the Madison County Child Passenger Safety (CPS) Team presented a report on observations made of recent car seat checks that were being conducted at daycare centers. Observations revealed that parents, with good intentions, were placing children in belt positioning boosters, but placing them in the front seat of their vehicles.  In addition, the report revealed that many parents did not realize that children 12 years old and under needed to be in the backseat.  Other members (school site-based council member, parents) added that during child pickup periods at the schools, kids were also getting in the front seats.  This report led to the development of the “Always Buckle up Children in the Backseat Program.” MCSC understood that there needed to be educate for the community about the importance of children riding in the backseat. Two immediate actions were decided on. The first action was that flyers for the schools and preschools needed to be developed and distributed.  The second action was to identify all the schools and daycare centers in the area that could benefit from signage on the importance of children being properly secured in vehicles.  This led to a discussion with Madison County School District Superintendent Mike Caudill.  Caudill supported the idea of signage at the schools.  He also allowed for distribution of literature to all students.  In addition, he took the step to encourage the school principals to encourage all students being picked up at the elementary schools to be placed in the backseat. The CPS team developed a flyer that was distributed to all of the elementary school students.  MCSC then contacted Safety Engineer Tony Young of the Federal Highway Administration.  Young assisted in the research and development of the signs in use today.  The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet donated 11 signs that went to Madison County elementary schools.  A press conference was conducted with all participating partners at one of the elementary schools were signs were displayed and then distributed to the school district. To date, these signs have been placed around the City of Berea, in all Madison County parks, at volunteer fire stations, the Berea Post Office, at all Madison County Schools, and at the Pattie A. Clay Regional Medical Center. MCSC is now in the process of encouraging the purchase of these signs to be placed in public locations every where children are being picked up.  MCSC is pleased to know that other school districts around the State, as well as other coalitions, are bringing this successful campaign to their communities.

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