Project
Characteristics |
Perm.
fitting station support
Self-sufficiency
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Program
Areas |
Child
Passenger Safety |
Type
of Jurisdiction |
State |
Targeted
Population |
State
and local public safety agencies |
Jurisdiction
Size |
3,409,549 |
Funding |
Section
402: $54,898 |
Contact |
Stephen
Livingston
DOT/Div. of Hwy. Safety
PO Box 317546
2800 Berlin Tpk.
Newington, CT 06131-7546
(860) 594-2364
(860) 594-2374 fax
stephen.livington@po.state.ct.us
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Digest
Listing
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CONNECTICUT
Fitting Station Workshop
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
In Connecticut, between 1996 and 2001,
there were 51 children under the age of four in vehicles involved in fatal
crashes. Six of these children suffered fatal injuries. Among those
killed, 67 percent were not in a child seat. Research from the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that child safety
seats are found to reduce fatal injury by 71 percent for infants (less
than 1 year old) and by 54 percent for toddlers (1-4 years old) in
passenger cars.
Ensuring that child passenger safety seats
are correctly installed is a continual process because of constantly
changing factors (such as families increasing in size or upgrading
vehicles). Additionally, conducting individual child passenger safety
clinics is expensive, confusing to the general public because the
locations change, and are subject to cancellation due to adverse weather
conditions.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The ultimate goals and objectives of the Fitting Station Workshop are
to:
- Ensure that every child safety seat is secured correctly;
- Ensure that the child safety seat device is correct for the size and
weight of the child, and is compatible with the vehicle that it is
installed in;
- Reduce the number and severity of injuries sustained in traffic
crashes (by increasing correct usage of child safety devices and
increasing adult belt use);
- Reinforce law enforcement’s commitment to the occupant protection
area; and
- Provide readily available, cost effective child safety seat
inspection services throughout the State.
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The Division of Highway Safety developed the
following strategies and activities for the Fitting Station Workshops:
-
Collaborated with chief child passenger safety
(CPS) instructors to develop a listing of necessary non-consumable
materials needed to enhance sustained operations of permanent fitting
station(s).
-
Sent a letter to all certified CPS technicians to
determine which technicians were affiliated with a child passenger
seat “fitting station”. A fitting station was defined as:
a designated permanent location (i.e. law enforcement facility)
where child passenger safety seats can be inspected by certified
technicians to ensure proper installation during designated times of
operation and/or by appointment, by calling a publicized telephone
number.
-
Determined if a fitting station could be included
on the CT Child Safety Seat InfoLine.
-
Ordered
equipment, as approved.
-
Developed a three-hour workshop session to review
materials being distributed and other pertinent information (such as
forms, recall list distribution, etc.).
-
Conducted training and distributed materials.
-
Maintained a monthly activity log to track
project activities.
RESULTS
During
2001, approximately 35 seats (on average) were inspected at each of the 66
permanent fitting station sites each month. The crash statistics for the
period after the program became operational are not currently available.
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