PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Injury remains the leading cause of death for
Americans ages 1 to 34, and motor vehicle crashes are the primary basis
for injury in this age group. Data also indicate that teen drivers are
involved in traffic crashes at a rate four times greater than adults.
Traffic safety advocates have determined that interventions designed
to either prevent crashes or decrease the severity of injuries when
crashes occur have the greatest potential for improving these alarming
statistics.
In 1998, injuries in Sedgwick County, Kansas accounted
for more than 55,000 emergency room visits. Many of these injuries resulted
from motor vehicle crashes involving teen drivers ages 15 to 19, with
the majority occurring on Friday afternoon, from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm,
with no apparent adverse weather or road conditions. Injuries resulting
from improper use of child safety seats were also a concern in Sedgwick
County. A countywide survey conducted in 1999 revealed a safety seat
misuse rate of 98.2 percent.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The Sedgwick County Safe Communities Coalition
was developed in 1999 in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Transportation,
to help analyze and define injuries occurring within the county, and
identify high risk populations. Objectives of the program are to:
- Develop a process by which Sedgwick County
residents can actively participate in the process of problem identification,
and assume responsibility for outlining solutions
- Design, implement and evaluate distinctive motor vehicle-related
injury prevention interventions
- Characterize the current perception of fatal and non-fatal injuries
in Sedgwick County
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The Sedgwick County Safe Communities Coalition
focused their efforts on developing intervention strategies targeting
two important issues, teen driving and child passenger safety. The coalition
created two intervention programs addressing high-risk teen driving
behaviors, and a child passenger safety initiative. Specific activities
associated with these programs include:
- Wichita on WheelsThis pilot
program was implemented in October 1999 to evaluate and influence
teen driving behaviors at a local high school with an enrollment of
1,559 students. Program activities included observational seat belt
use surveys, written pre- and post-program tests, a Think First
program assembly featuring information booths with displays and educational
materials, and a roll-over simulation machine
- Autobond 2000This two-hour traffic safety program
was presented to 2,500 Sedgwick County sophomores from 13 high schools
in October 2000. Activities included a mock crash and emergency response,
Think First program presentation, roll-over simulation demonstration,
testimonial by a mother whose son was killed in a motor vehicle crash
and a follow-up evaluation
- Child Passenger Safety ProgramIn partnership with
the Wichita Area SAFE KIDS Coalition, the Sedgwick County Safe Communities
Coalition provided more than 2,000 child safety seat inspections between
January 1997 and September 2000. Two permanent fitting stations were
established, and educational classes are offered each month in Wichita.
A child passenger safety hotline was also created to allow residents
to call for a "Personal Fit" appointment, or to determine
the closest checkpoint location. A car seat loaner program was developed
to provide safe transportation for children in hipspica casts, low
birth weight infants and other children with special needs.
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