Maryland: Maryland Vehicle Dealers Safety Alliance Initiative

Maryland Vehicle Dealers Safety Alliance Initiative

MARYLAND

PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS		PROGRAM AREA(S)
	Outstanding collaborative effort		Occupant Protection

TYPE OF JURISDICTION
	State

TARGETED POPULATION(S)		JURISDICTION SIZE
	General Population		5,071,604

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
In 1993, the State of Maryland set a seat belt use goal of 85 percent compliance by the year 1995. Since then, the state has set an excellent example by promoting programs that help achieve their goal. However, 1996 use rates report that Maryland has not reached its 1995 goal, achieving a 70 percent rate of compliance (2 percent above the 1996 national average).

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal of the Maryland Vehicle Dealers Safety Alliance Initiative is to increase seat belt and child safety seat use through the following objectives:

Form partnerships among organizations to promote occupant protection
Provide valuable occupant protection tools to partnership members
Increase occupant protection education opportunities and public awareness

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
In September 1996, the Maryland State Highway Administration teamed with the Maryland Committee for Safety Belt Use, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Region 3, and the Maryland New Car and Truck Dealers Association to educate automobile purchasers about the proper use of seat belts and child safety seats.

This new partnership developed an educational program featuring the assembly of packets filled with occupant protection information to be distributed to more than 300 automobile agencies throughout the state. The packets consisted of:

An Air Bag Safety Alert with important information and guidelines for safe traveling for passengers of all ages, in an air bag-equipped vehicle
An identical Air Bag Safety Alert on a long form, produced in camera-ready format for easy reproduction, including a signature block at the bottom of the document for customers to indicate their understanding of the instructions included on the form.
A letter, signed by the NHTSA Region 3 Administrator, the Kids in Safety Seats (KISS) Program Coordinator, the Executive Director of the Maryland Committee for Safety Belt Use, the Maryland Highway Safety Coordinator, and the Vice President of the Maryland New Car and Truck Dealers Association, explaining the program, the need for occupant protection education, and encouraging dealerships to help spread the message of proper use of occupant protection.
A postal response card inviting the dealer to become part of the partnership or to be placed on the KISS mailing list to receive additional information about services, materials, and child safety seat recalls.

RESULTS
A critical result of the Maryland Vehicle Dealers Safety Alliance Initiative was the participation of more than 25 dealerships in ongoing occupant protection education efforts. Some dealerships that produce a consumer newsletter have included occupant protection as a feature in their publications. Other dealerships have implemented programs to train sales staff in the correct use of child safety seats. Still other dealerships have sponsored child safety seat checks jointly with law enforcement agencies, providing advertising and refreshments for the events. The partnerships have provided the foundation for further involvement by the automobile dealerships in programs such as the National Safe Kids Campaign/Safe Kids GM Adopt-A-Dealer Program.

FUNDING
	Section 402:	$3,142
CONTACT
	Michelle Sporre Occupant Protection Coordinator Traffic Safety Division Maryland State Highway Administration 7491 Connelley Drive Hanover, MD 21076 (410) 787–4077

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Winter 1998