FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Janette E. Fennell (KIDS ‘N CARS)
Tuesday November 29, 2000 (415) 789-1000
Stuart P. Mackintosh (Advocates) (202) 408-1711
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON GIVE SAFETY
THE GIFT THAT LASTS A LIFETIME
KIDS ‘N CARS and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety team up to drive home the highway and auto safety message this holiday season.
(Washington, D.C.) As families throughout America start the holiday season and head out to the mall, or to visit loved ones, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety (Advocates) and KIDS ‘N CARS send an important message: This holiday season give safety - the gift that lasts a lifetime.
Judith Lee Stone, President of Advocates stressed, “Just as we take care in selecting presents for family and friends, we also need to follow a few simple tips that will ensure we protect our most prized possessions - the children.”
Janette Fennell, Executive Director of KIDS ‘N CARS stated, “You wouldn’t leave your handbag or cell phone in a vehicle, so why leave your kids to run a quick errand? Doing so can result in a tragedy. It’s easy to get caught up in the hectic pace this season brings, but everyone should take time to remember that family safety should top our holiday safety wish list.”
KIDS ‘N CARS and Advocates offer a few reminders during this busy time of the year:
Buckle Up With Kids in the Back. Too many kids are not buckled up or are improperly restrained in vehicles. The seatbelt rule can NEVER be broken. This holiday season make sure that all adults and children are properly buckled up. That means adults can’t break the rule either. Most importantly, all children up to the age of 12 need to be in appropriate restraints in the back seat – child safety seats, booster seats and safety belts. Child safety seats are a wonderful holiday gift that keep children safe all year long.
Don’t Leave Kids Alone in the Car. Do not leave kids alone in the car, not even for a minute. A car is not a toy, a car is not a playground, and a car is certainly not a babysitter. Sadly, every year children have been harmed when they have been left unattended in vehicles. Kids can disengage the parking brake, become entrapped in power windows or in the trunk, suffer the effects of exposure to cold or heat, or become
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victims of carjacking and abductions. Remember, your children are the most precious gift you have: don’t leave them behind.
Cars, Alcohol and Children Don’t Mix. Holiday cheer is no excuse for taking risks with kids in cars. Recent studies show that more than 60 percent of child passenger deaths were the result of a child riding with an impaired driver. Drunk drivers endanger their child passengers’ lives, and children should never be permitted to ride with an adult under the influence of alcohol.
Slow Down, Watch for Snow and Ice, and Obey Traffic Control Devices. As winter weather arrives, drivers need to take special care. Drivers should set an example by slowing down everywhere, especially in neighborhoods, and always coming to a complete stop at stop signs. Red light running is a growing concern - so slow down for a yellow and never run a red light. Excessive speed is a major contributor to death and injury in motor vehicle crashes, and children are endangered both inside and outside the car.
Bicycle Helmets Prevent Head Injury. If you are buying a bike for a child this holiday season, buy a helmet to go with it. Brain injury is the most serious injury suffered in a bicycle crash. Adults should make sure helmets are properly fitted for children.
Never Allow Children to Ride in the Rear of Pick-Up Trucks. When heading out to get that Christmas tree, do not let children ride home with it in the back of your pick-up truck. On average, a child is injured every other week as a result of riding in the cargo area of a pick-up truck, which is not designed to accommodate passengers. Children are still being killed and injured in these crashes, in large part because they ride unsecured. Adults should not allow such dangerous behavior.
“During this special time of the year take extra care so kids have safe and happy holidays,” Stone stressed.
“The most precious gift we have is our children and holidays are everyone’s favorite time of year. While we all anticipate a joyous occasion with our family and friends, we should always put safety first,” added Fennell.
Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety is an alliance of consumer, safety, law enforcement, public health and insurance organizations working to reduce deaths and injuries on our nation's highways. For more information on Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, please visit our web site at Contact Stuart P. Mackintosh at (202) 408-1711 for further information.
KIDS 'N CARS™ is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to pursue a greater level of public safety by addressing vehicle related non-traffic incidents that lead to death and injury when children are left unattended in or around a vehicle. Visit their web site at . Contact Janette Fennell for further information on (415) 789 1000.
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