| Project
Characteristics |
State
educational program
|
| Program
Areas |
| Child
Passenger Safety |
Type
of Jurisdiction |
| State |
Targeted
Population |
| At-risk
populations |
Jurisdiction
Size |
4.4
Million
611,000 < 10 yrs old |
Funding |
Section
405: $363,821
Section 2003b: $129,120 |
Contact |
William
King or
Janie Applegate
Child Safety Institute
Children's Hospital
1600 Seventh Ave., South
Birmingham, AL 35233
(205) 939-9720
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Digest
Listing
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ALABAMA
Safe Kids State Child Safety Initiative
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Motor vehicle crashes (MVC) are the leading
cause of death and serious injury for Alabama children. Over 2,700
children (under the age 10) sustain serious injury and 38 more die each
year in motor vehicle crashes. The number of injuries and deaths due to
MVCs in Alabama remained relatively constant over the last ten years of
data collection. The lack of significant improvement in MVC-related
morbidity and mortality is a direct reflection of low car seat usage
statewide. Statewide car seat usage rates, previous to year 2000, have
averaged below 60 percent. Furthermore, surveys have reported that among
those car seats in use, over 90 percent were improperly installed,
negating significant protective aspects of the car seat.
In
1999, Alabama Safe Kids and Children’s Hospital were awarded funds to
develop a coordinated and sustained five-year effort for improving child
passenger safety (CPS).
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The goals of the Alabama Safe Kids State Child
Passenger Safety Initiative were to:
-
Develop child passenger safety educational
materials, featuring state of the art understanding of proper car seat
installation and selection based upon the age and size of the child
passenger, suited for diverse populations;
-
Disseminate these educational materials and
information through Alabama Safe Kids affiliates, agencies,
organizations, health care providers, fire departments, law
enforcement and regional Community Traffic Safety Program (CTSP)
offices;
-
Build an infrastructure of child passenger safety
NHTSA/AAA certified technicians and instructors located in rural and
urban areas of need, to support local area checkup events,
installation services and education;
-
Establish a network of permanent fitting stations
serving urban and rural areas; and
-
Collaborate with other state agencies in support
of promotional and educational efforts for the primary seat belt law
of Alabama.
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The project activities were initiated and coordinated by Alabama Safe
Kids coalitions and affiliates and were administered by the Southeast
Child Safety Institute of Children’s Health System in Birmingham.
- Established a model hospital-based child passenger safety center to
serve as the hub of data collection, advocacy, research, service and
administration for the state initiative. The model included a
marketing and educational component that facilitated research about
the local area’s acceptance and impact of
a potential primary seat belt law.
- Child passenger safety became the priority focus area for Alabama
Safe Kids, which marshaled support from coalitions and chapters in
urban and rural areas of the state. Established a toll free service to
help with checkup events, schedule permanent fitting station
appointments, provide child passenger safety information and
referrals.
- A core group of NHTSA/AAA certified technicians and instructors
promoted and provided child passenger safety training.
- Provided guidelines for permanent fitting station to assist with
creating of a network of permanent fitting sites.
A
statewide advocacy and advisory group was established to promote and
educate on the importance of primary seat belt enforcement. This group
included ADECA, local area CTSP offices, Department of Public Safety and
other state and private groups.
RESULTS
The work of Alabama Safe Kids State Child
Passenger Safety Initiative combined with the 1999 primary seat belt
enforcement posted the following results:
- Trained and certified 378 individuals in
child passenger safety.
- 16 permanent fitting stations have been
located throughout the state.
- Car seat usage in Alabama has increased
from 57.8 percent to 89 percent. In Jefferson County, the site of the
local area educational and awareness media campaign, there was an
increase from 60.5 percent to 88 percent.
- Alabama
child MVC injuries (for ages 10 and younger) decreased from 1,511
injuries to 1,290 injuries, representing a 14.6 percent decline. In
Jefferson County, MVC injuries declined from 189 to 138 (26.9
percent).
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