NTSB Press Release

National Transportation Safety Board
Office of Public Affairs

NTSB HONORS NATIONAL SAFE KIDS, GENERAL MOTORS FOR REACHING MILESTONE IN CHILD SEAT SAFETY CHECKS

November 1, 2000

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Transportation Safety Board today presented a special act award to the National Safe Kids Campaign and General Motors Corporation to commemorate the 100,000th car seat safety check under the program.

"Safe Kids Buckle Up" is an initiative developed by the National Safe Kids Campaign and GM to prevent children from being killed and injured in motor vehicle crashes. The program educates parents and caregivers by offering information and hands-on training through the media, GM dealerships, doctor's offices, Head Start programs and community health organizations.

"General Motors and the National Safe Kids Campaign are providing a critical service to America's families," Safety Board Chairman Jim Hall said in presenting the award today. "Many young lives have been saved by the Safe Kids Buckle Up program. I hope other automakers will take a leadership role to help protect children on our nation's highways. "

Accepting the award were Executive Director Heather Paul on behalf of National Safe Kids and Vice Chairman Harry Pearce on behalf of General Motors.

In January 1999, the NTSB issued safety recommendations to automobile manufacturers, child safety seat manufacturers, the states and the federal government to work together to create a nationwide network of permanent locations where parents and caregivers could obtain information on the proper use of child restraints.

The Safety Board recommended permanent child seat fitting stations because observational surveys and periodic child seat inspection events revealed that four out of five parents or caregivers were using child safety seats incorrectly, therefore not getting all of the benefits that the devices offer.

Earlier this year, GM donated 51 Chevy Venture minivans to Safe Kids coalitions across the country in an effort to take child passenger safety directly to communities. Since its inception in 1997, Safe Kids Buckle Up has checked more than 104,000 car seats, held more than 3,150 car seat check up events, given away more than 72,000 car seats, trained more than 1,900 dealer staff and sponsored more than 500 dealership education workshops.

Families can obtain further information on child safety seat fitting programs by the three major domestic automakers by accessing the following web sites or calling the following toll-free numbers:

NTSB Media Contact:
Terry N. Williams
202-314-6100
williat@ntsb.gov

 

###

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is an independent federal agency charged with determining the probable cause
of transportation accidents, promoting transportation safety, and assisting victims of transportation accidents and their families.