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Child Passenger Safety 
Motor-vehicle-related injuries kill more children and young adults (i.e., those aged 1--24 years) than any other single cause in the United States and are the leading cause of death from unintentional injury for persons of all ages. Approximately 41,000 persons in the United States die in motor-vehicle crashes each year. Moreover, crash injuries result in approximately 500,000 hospitalizations and 4 million emergency department visits annually.
Reducing motor-vehicle injury remains a formidable public health challenge, despite sharp declines in motor-vehicle--related death rates since 1925. Use of child safety seats and safety belts and deterrence of alcohol-impaired driving are among the most important preventive measures to further reduce motor-vehicle occupant injuries and deaths. (CDC, 2001)
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| Local Health Department in Action: Washington County Car Seat Program
The Washington County Car Seat Program is one of NACCHO's Promising Programs from the state of New York. It started with 40 seats provided by the state and has grown to an $11,100 grant used to purchase over 200 seats each year.
The program consists of two elements:
- Distribution Program- providing seats to low-income families living in Washington County for a donation of $10, which is used to purchase additional seats. Participants make appointments where they are shown the parts of the seat, why it is important to use the seat correctly, and how to use the seat correctly using demonstrations.
- Car Seat Check Event- a community event open to residents and non-residents where participants can drive up and have a seat that they already own checked for recalls and misuse. If the seat is found to be unsafe to use, a new seat is provided for a small donation. Before participants leave, all seat corrections are made and they should be able to install the seat correctly.
Or visit the program page in the NACCHO Model Practices Database at http://www.naccho.org/topics/modelpractices/database/practice.cfm?PracticeID=162
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In the News: Safe Kids Program Hits Major Milestone- One Million Seats Checked for Proper Installation
 Safe Kids Buckle Up, the child passenger safety program of Safe Kids USA sponsored by Chevrolet and General Motors, has reached a milestone no other safety program can claim: one million car seats and booster seats checked for proper installation.
The millionth seat was checked on June 12 at an event held at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Nearly 200 car seat checkup events are being held at Chevrolet dealerships and community locations throughout the country in celebration of the millionth seat milestone.
Significant progress has been made since 1997 when the program checked its first car seat. Statistics from the National Highway Transportation Administration show a 25 percent drop in vehicle crash fatalities for children under the age of 5 from 1997 to 2006 ( the latest year with available data ).
More good news has been seen in restraint use. Car seats have saved the lives of an estimated 3,800 children ages 0 to 4 from 1997 to 2006. Of the children in fatal crashes where restraint use was known, 46 percent were unrestrained in 1997. This number decreased to 25 percent in 2006. (Media-Newswire.com)
To learn more, go to
http://media-newswire.com/release_1067745.html.
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NHTSA Presentation on National Survey of the Use of Booster Seats
At the 2008 Lifesavers Conference, Dennis E. Utter, Director of the Office of Traffic Records and Analysis at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, presented data from the National Survey of the Use of Booster Seats (NSUBS).
NSUBS data collectors interviewed drivers of vehicles with children under age 13, while also observing the restraint conditions of these children. They found that as many as half of the children age 4 to 7 were not being properly protected in 2007. Premature graduation of children to restraining types that are inappropriate for their weight or height was also an issue.
More information can be found here under National Survey of the Use of Booster Seats (NSUBS).
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Emerging Issues in Maternal and Child Health Webcast Series
NACCHO and CityMatCH present the sixth year of the Emerging Issues in MCH (E-MCH) series. E-MCH provides cutting-edge research, policy and programmatic strategies for the most pressing issues facing public health in the United States.
This series highlights research, information, and collaborative efforts between state and local health departments on a variety of MCH topics. Guest speakers from national, state, and local health departments discuss their experiences and share information on programs related to the featured topic.
Health Care Reform: Preparing Local Health Departments for Change on the Horizon
View archived webcasts, including June's webcast on Tobacco Cessation- Smoking and the Effects on Infant Health, at http://webcasts.naccho.org/session-archived.php?id=1446.
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Upcoming Event
Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 21-27, 2008
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) promotes National Child Passenger Safety Week, which begins on September 20, 2008, with the Second Annual "National Seat Check Saturday," and runs through September 27.
The primary message of this year's National Child Passenger Safety Week will be 4 Steps for Kids, guidelines to ensure children are secured properly in an appropriate seat. Local organizations are encouraged to have certified child passenger safety technicians available to provide free on-site safety tips and seat inspections.
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Excerpts from NACCHO Public Health Dispatch
MCH- Related Tools and Resources
 This monthly newsletter sent to all active NACCHO members contains brief updates, events, resources, job postings, funding opportunities, member highlights, and other information of relevance to LHDs. Regular sections include family health, reproductive health, environmental health, emergency preparedness, mental health, and immunizations among others.
For a free download of past issues, visit http://www.naccho.org/pubs/category.cfm?Category_ID=8 | |
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