Buckle Up Right, Every Trip, Every Time

The Georgia Department of Public Health’s (DPH), Injury Prevention Program is pleased to announce that Safe Kids Cobb and Safe Kids Douglas have been named recipients of the 2015 Child Passenger Safety Mini-Grant. The Child Passenger Safety Mini-Grant program helps county health departments and their community partners reduce the number of injuries and deaths among children in Georgia. This year’s $161,000 state-wide award will be used to support the purchase of car seats to be distributed in 137 Georgia counties.  Funding for these efforts is provided by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS).

According to the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration (NHSTA), the 5 to 7 age group experiences one of the highest rates of motor vehicle crash injuries and deaths in the state.

In an effort to address this problem, Safe Kids Cobb and Safe Kids Douglas have been dedicated to fighting accidental injury, the number one killer of our children, for more than 20 years. Safe Kids Cobb and Safe Kids Douglas provide child passenger safety (CPS) education classes and events to families and caregivers. Participants are provided personalized training and education about how to properly install, adjust and secure their child in a car seat with on-site support from a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician.  During these sessions, an assessment of the child’s current car seat is also made to determine its safety.  If deemed a high risk by exhibiting characteristics such as inappropriate size, dubious structural integrity, expired or unknown history, the car seat is replaced.  Correct use of a safety or booster seat reduces the risk of death in a motor vehicle crash by 80%.

Since 2007, at least 283 children in Georgia who were involved in crashes were saved from serious injury or death by car seats, booster seats, and education provided through the Child Passenger Safety Mini-Grant. 

“Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death for children and it’s up to all of us to do everything we can to protect our children on the road,” said Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health. “Buckling up our children is the best way to save lives and reduce injuries.”

For more information on the Child Occupant Safety Project in Cobb or Douglas Counties, please email viva.price@dph.ga.gov or call 770-852-3285.