Occupant Protection

 

National Child Passenger Safety Week

 

SEPTEMBER 18-24, 2011

 

Did you know that nearly three out of four child safety seats are used incorrectly? Despite the best intentions of parents and caregivers, many safety seats are misused, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

 

The good news is that a majority of us do buckle up our children in child safety seats, booster seats or safety belts. Yet every year, thousands of children are killed or injured in crashes nationwide. In fact, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages one through 12 years old.

 

This is why National Child Passenger Safety week is so important! NHTSA sponsors the annual event as a reminder to parents and caregivers of the importance of properly securing all children in appropriate child safety seats, booster seats or safety belts. Child Passenger Safety week concluded with National Seat Check Saturday, on September 24, 2011.

 

A press event was held in Springfield on Thursday, September 22 to kick off Seat Check Saturday.  IDOT, AAA, Illinois State Police and St. John’s Hospital representatives stressed the importance of securing children properly in age- and size-appropriate child safety seats in the back seat. It is the most important thing a parent or caregiver can do to protect their children in the event of a crash.

 

Across Illinois, 82 safety seat inspection events were held sponsored by AAA, Evenflo and IDOT/DTS. These free events provided parents with hands-on training from certified child passenger safety (CPS) technicians. More than 467 CPS technicians volunteered to provide parents and caregivers with resources and information to better protect their children from motor vehicle crashes. Approximately 1365 child safety seats were inspected that day and 493 replacement child safety seats were distributed to families in need.

 

Don’t Leap Too Soon…..Take Each Step to the Limit!

 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released updated recommendations in March 2011. These recommendations emphasize the importance of keeping children in each restraint type to the maximum height and weight limit of the seat before moving to the next type. Please refer to the following guidelines for determining which restraint system is best suited to protect children based on their age and size:

 

  1. Rear-Facing Seats: In the back seat from birth to the height and weight limit of the seat. Recommended up to two years old, but at a minimum age one and 20 pounds.
  2. Forward-Facing Seats: In the back seat when the child has reached the height or weight limit of the rear-facing seat to about age 4 and 40-65 pounds.
  3. Booster Seats: In the back seat from about age four to at least age eight.
  4. Safety Belts: At age eight and older and taller than 4’9’’.

More information from AAP can be found at this link:
www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/carseat2011.htm.

Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Traffic Safety (IDOT/DTS) launched a new safety campaign for Child Passenger Safety Week 2011 to assist families in remembering the new guidelines. Posters, bookmarks and stickers were released with the new logo and campaign message, “Don’t Leap Too Soon. Take Each Step to the Limit.” A public service announcement is in the final stages of development and will be available soon at www.buckleupillinois.org.

 

New Child Passenger Safety PSA
IDOT/DTS is pleased to announce that a new child passenger safety public service announcement (PSA) is coming soon to www.buckleupillinois.org. The PSA reminds parents their children have big things ahead of them in life such as becoming a doctor, firefighter, teacher or IDOT highway safety employee, but they must be kept safe while traveling in order to reach their potential. Parents are encouraged to keep their child in the proper restraint as long as possible and to have their car seat inspected by a certified technician.

 

IDOT/DTS would like to thank the children and their families for being a part of this project. We would also like to thank the Springfield Fire Department, Pleasant Plains Middle School, Southern Illinois School of Medicine and IDOT District 6 for assisting with the on-location shooting.

 

The PSA will be available at: www.buckleupillinois.org. Elements from this commercial will also be featured on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

 

 

~By By Megan Eairheart, Assistant State Occupant Protection Coordinator

 

 

 

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