PRESS RELEASE
Chrysler and AAA Announce Air Bag Safety Courses
U.S. Classrooms to Receive Unique Air Bag Safety Course
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Dec. 13 -- In the wake of recent
public concern about air bags and children, Chrysler Corporation
, the American Automobile Association (AAA), and the American
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced today that schools and day care
centers across the U.S. will receive special educational materials on
air bag safety. The campaign is one of the largest efforts of its
kind ever conducted, and will be supported by a host of other
prominent safety, law enforcement and medical organizations.
A letter announcing the "ABC's of Air Bag Safety -- The Back is
Where It's At" educational program will be sent to more than 300,000
teachers, principals, school board and PTA presidents representing
some 160,000 day care and private and public elementary schools across
the nation. The materials developed by Chrysler and Lifetime Learning
Systems of Fairfield, Connecticut, and with guidance from safety
experts and educators, will be delivered to schools in January.
"Our message is simple: air bags are life-saving devices and
saving lives every day," said Chrysler Chairman and CEO Robert
J. Eaton. "But special precautions must be taken when driving
children in air bag equipped vehicles. Children risk injury if they
are unbelted, belted improperly or otherwise too close to the
instrument panel when an air bag inflates. Parents and children alike
need to know that to play it safe, kids need to ride in the back seat
whenever possible. Infants in rear-facing child seats must ride in
the back seat, no exceptions."
The ABCs of Air Bag Safety is structured to encourage good safety
habits in children through traditional classroom learning. Concerns
about air bags, prompted by the deaths of more than 30 children,
motivated Chrysler, AAA, AAP and other organizations to join forces to
educate parents and children alike on proper occupant protection.
Teaching safety in the classroom during the formative years provides
an opportunity to instill positive attitudes and behavior that
students will retain for life. Professionally-developed instructional
materials ensure that the lessons are age-appropriate and prepared in
usable formats for teachers.
"It's never too early to begin teaching children about the
importance of auto safety," said AAA President Robert L. Darbelnet.
"Despite all of our efforts, almost 60% of children killed in vehicle
crashes are unrestrained. We believe this training program will go a
long way toward reducing these numbers. Our involvement continues
AAA's long history of work in child passenger safety."
"As a child health safety advocate, the AAP enthusiastically
supports ways to educate both children and parents about automobile
safety," said AAP President Robert Hannenmann, M.D. "The ABCs of Air
Bag Safety materials emphasize the importance of children riding in
the rear seat of an automobile because it is the safest place for them
to be."
The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
also is supporting the program and asking its ten regional offices to
promote it in states and communities. NHTSA reports that air bags
have saved more than 1,500 lives, but warns that certain safety rules
need to be followed for maximum benefit and to prevent injury or death
to children. The agency advises that children age 12 and under should
ride in the back seat, either in a child safety seat or using the
vehicle's lap/shoulder belts, depending on the child's age and weight.
"Many parents understandably are concerned about air bags and want
information on how their children can ride safely," said NHTSA
administrator Dr. Ricardo Martinez, a board-certified emergency
physician. "They also want their children to be able to make smart
choices about personal safety. This important educational campaign
delivers on that need, and should become the forerunner of continuous
efforts to make safety a routine part of classroom learning."
The ABCs of Air Bag Safety educational materials will seek to
convince children that it is "cool" to sit in the back seat, using the
slogan, The Back is Where It's At! Included in the comprehensive
package for teachers are brochures explaining why the back seat is the
safest place for children to ride, an instructional video, teachers'
guides, wall posters, colorful stickers for the children to use, and
more than 30 million take-home pamphlets so parents will better
understand the importance of requiring their children to ride in the
back seat.
In addition, each student will receive a "Family's New Year
Resolution" pledge form designed to encourage a family discussion --
and decision -- that all children will ride in the back seat, buckled
up.
Although Chrysler is enabling the program by providing the
funding, with the advice and counsel of the AAA and the AAP, many
other organizations with an interest in education and highway safety,
in addition to NHTSA, are supporting it enthusiastically. Included
are the American Federation of Teachers, Emergency Nurses CARE,
International Association of Chiefs of Police, Fraternal Order of
Police, National Association of Governors' Highway Safety
Representatives, the Air Bag Safety Campaign, National Safety Council,
Optimist International, and the American Medical Association.
ON THE INTERNET
Visit Chrysler's Media Relations Web Site at
http://www.media.chrysler.com for additional Chrysler news.
CONTACT: Jason Vines, 810-512-2704, or Michele Tinson, 810-512-2725,
both of Chrysler
