PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Data from an observational
survey, conducted throughout Arizona in 1995, revealed a child safety
restraint use of 39 percent. By 1998, the use rate had increased to
80 percent. Although state highway safety officials were pleased with
the increased use rate, it was clear that many children still were not
protected from potential injuries and fatalities.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goal
of the Child Passenger Restraint Distribution Program is to increase
the use of child safety seats throughout Arizona. Objectives of the
project include the following:
- Developing
an occupant protection program suitable for statewide application
- Creating
a publicity program about child safety seat use tailored to reach
all families statewide
- Promoting
training efforts designed to increase proper use of child safety seats
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
In February
1999, the Arizona Governor's Office of Highway Safety purchased 6,500
child safety seats through public bid. In a phased distribution, the
Office of Highway Safety identified three sites located throughout the
state and delivered 1,000 child safety seats to each of the three sites.
Locations were selected based on past experience and commitments from
local agencies to work with families with children. These agencies included
law enforcement, fire departments, county health departments, private
hospitals, and non-profit agencies.
The Governor
of Arizona held press conferences in Phoenix and Tucson to introduce
the new Child Passenger Restraint Distribution Program. Following the
press conferences, families in the initial distribution sites rushed
to the sponsoring agencies to receive their child safety seats. As interest
in the program grew, public agencies throughout the state contacted
the Governor's Office of Highway Safety to volunteer their services
to distribute the car seats within their own communities. Requests were
evaluated and the remaining car seats were distributed to eligible sites.
The Governor's
Office of Highway Safety distributed the safety seats free-of-charge,
only requiring compliance with the following:
- Agencies
distributing the safety seats were charged with training recipients
in proper installation and use techniques
- Local agencies
were not allowed to charge for the safety seats
- Seats could
be distributed only to low-income families as defined by state guidelines
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