PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Injuries to children under age five resulting from traffic crashes in Yellowstone County, Montana are above the national average. Similar injuries to older children occur at the same rate as the national average. Safe Community program staff members wishing to address this issue discovered that most readily available materials and traffic safety programs were designed for older audiences. And although county students enjoyed Vince and Larry®, the crash dummies were not able to talk. In order to provide an interactive means of communicating traffic safety messages to children, county officials developed the Yellowstone County Traffic Safety Gophers.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The Yellowstone County Traffic Safety Gophers program was developed in 1996 to provide a means to effectively present traffic safety information to children under age 12. Program objectives are to:

• Provide traffic safety presentations to students effectively in a classroom setting
• Facilitate children learning and remembering traffic safety concepts such as the use of safety belts, child safety seats, bicycle helmets and crosswalks; and proper pedestrian and school bus safety
• Tailor the program to become an accepted resource for local elementary school teachers

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The Traffic Safety Gophers program features a series of flipcharts, safety games, handout materials, and dancing and singing led by two life-sized gopher characters named Gus and Gertie.

The development phase of the program included the following activities:

• Preparation of a laminated flip chart depicting Gus and Gertie engaging in traffic safety activities
• Design and construction of life-sized Traffic Safety Gopher costumes by a local studio theater
• Production of the Traffic Safety Gopher coloring book, mask and hand puppet
• Salvage of safety belts from a local wrecking yard for use in a musical chairs/safety belt game

Program presentation in the classroom includes a review of the Traffic Safety flip chart by the teacher, with suggested talking points provided by Gus and Gertie. Next, the Traffic Safety Gophers review traffic safety issues, and ask and answer related questions. The students are taught a song and play a musical chair game to its tune. Safety belts are attached to each chair, and children must find a chair and buckle up to win. At the conclusion of the presentation, "Buckle Up Every Time" pencils are distributed, along with other relevant traffic safety materials.