The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Encourages Parents to Celebrate Their Children's Vehicle Safety Milestones--From the Child Seat to the Driver's Seat

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.--June 14, 2006--As children graduate from crawling to walking, from highchair to dining room chair, and from tricycle to bicycle, parents celebrate as each milestone is reached. However, in the case of vehicle safety milestones, parents may miss them, or graduate their children too soon. Early graduation can put a child's safety at risk. State Farm(R) and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia(R) know that vehicle crashes can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. So to help keep kids safe from the child seat to the driver's seat, they encourage parents to consider graduation season as a time to evaluate and decide if their children are ready to move to the next vehicle safety milestone.

"This is an exciting time of year for many families as children hit milestone moments at schools," said Flaura Winston, M.D., Ph.D., pediatrician and crash injury researcher, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "State Farm and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia remind parents that as children mark their next level of independence, they also face different dangers in their larger worlds."

Good Neighbor Safety Commitment

"Child passenger safety is a serious issue and in our effort to continue our education campaign, State Farm hopes to add a little kid-friendly fun by encouraging parents to celebrate vehicle safety-related milestones," says Susan Hood, claims vice president, State Farm. "In turn, these celebrations will make a lasting impression that will help shape the habits of our future drivers and ultimately make the roads safer for everyone."

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children older than the age of one, and many of these unnecessary injuries and deaths can be prevented through the use of age- and size-appropriate restraints and rear seating for children less than 13 years. In order to protect children as they grow, State Farm and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recommend that parents evaluate and enforce their children's safety restraint needs at the following milestones:

    --  Preschool (approximately 3 - 5 years old) --
           --  If the child is under 4 years old and weighs less than
               40 pounds, he/she should ride in a child safety seat
               that has a 5-point harness system. At 40 pounds, move
               him/her from a forward-facing child safety seat to a
               belt-positioning booster seat. The lap belt should
               rest comfortably below the hip bones, and the shoulder
               belt should be snug, and cross the center of the
               child's shoulder. The child should remain in the
               booster seat until he/she is about 8 years old or 4'9"
               tall.
    --  Elementary School (approximately 5 - 11 years old) --
           --  If the child is under 8 years old and under 4'9" tall,
               he/she should remain in a booster seat using a
               lap-and-shoulder seat belt. If the child is older than
               8 years old and over 4'9" tall, move him/her from the
               booster seat to a vehicle lap-and-shoulder seat belt
               in the back seat.
    --  Middle School (approximately 11-14 years old) --
           --  All children should remain in the back seat until the
               age of 13.
    --  High School (approximately 14-18 years old) --
           --  It is generally appropriate for teens to ride up front,
               but only if they are using lap and shoulder seat belts 
               correctly. Whether the teen is a driver or passenger, 
               he/she must use proper safety restraints at all times.

Parental Influence Paves Way for Lifetime of Vehicle Safety Habits

Parents play a critical role in shaping behavior and forming good habits. First, parents must make child passenger safety practices non-negotiable. Second, parents must demonstrate proper safety habits by always buckling up themselves since children tend to mimic the behaviors of those closest to them. Lastly, positive reinforcement promotes positive behaviors.

Everyone, especially children, appreciate recognition for their accomplishments. In fact, it's a sure-fire way to guarantee repeat positive behavior. State Farm and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia provide these tips to help parents celebrate their children's graduations from one safety-related milestone to the next:

    --  Show the Way - to help children understand what safe behavior
        is, parents should explain vehicle safety practices to kids
        and then demonstrate them. For example, congratulate children
        when they get into their safety seat and explain why they need
        to wear restraints and how it protects them.
    --  Be a Role Model - as parents put on their seat belts, they
        should make kids aware that they also use safe travel
        behavior, every trip, every time - no matter if the trip is
        around the block.
    --  Involve the Child - When a child has outgrown his/her
        forward-facing safety seat, let the child help choose his/her
        new booster seat, one of his/her first grown-up decisions.
        Also, an older child can learn how to buckle himself/herself
        into a booster seat, just like a big kid.

For more information on the risks to child passengers and how to properly restrain children in cars, please visit www.chop.edu/carseat or www.statefarm.com/KidSafety.htm.

About State Farm

State Farm(R) insures more cars than any other insurer in North America and is the leading U.S. home insurer. State Farm's 17,000 agents and 76,000 employees serve nearly 73 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada. State Farm also offers financial services products. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 22 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm.com(R) or in Canada statefarm.ca(TM).

About The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric health care professionals and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country, ranking second in National Institutes of Health funding. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 430-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit www.chop.edu.