Volume 14: Issue 3 1999 |
Showing Concern for Child Passengers The SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP program addresses one of the most disturbing problems in America today: the high rates of death and injury to children under age 14 in motor vehicle crashes. According to the NationalAbout 85 percent of used correctly. The National SAFE KIDS Campaign,
through its State and more than 270 Local Coalitions, coordinates Car Seat
Check Up events nationwide to teach parents, caretakers, Child passenger safety
specialists, who are often certified by NHTSA, conduct the Check Ups. They
inspect vehicles to deter-mine if the car seats are being used correctly.
The specialists then complete assessment forms, which include items
concerning the proper use of child restraints, installation of the car
seat, and the fit of the child in the seat. The specialists also determine if the seat has been recalled. SAFE KIDS BUCKLE
UP, which is a 5-year, $10.6 million initiative sponsored SAFE KIDS BUCKLE
UP is involved in media-related outreach
activities, including news conferences and an ongoing television, radio,
print, and public ser-vice campaigns about child passenger safety. Copies
of the SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP brochure can be obtained by calling
(800) 441-1888. For information on buying a car seat and re-called car
seats, a list of The National
SAFE KIDS Campaign, which sponsors SAFE KIDS size-appropriate child safety
restraints: •
Use a rear-facing infant or convertible seat from birth until the
child is at least 1 year old and weighs at least 20 pounds; •
Use a forward-facing convertible seat for a child older than 1 year
who weighs between 20 and 40 pounds;
•
Use a car booster seat for 40- to 80-pound children, who are
usually 4 to 8 years old; and •
Use a lap-shoulder belt for children who outgrow booster seats.
Make sure the lap belt fits low Go to Focus | In the Literature | Activities | Etcetera |