---

Ford Calls for 'Hands On' National Strategy For Fitting Child Safety Seats

19 April 2000

Ford Calls for 'Hands On' National Strategy For Fitting Child Safety Seats

    NEW YORK, April 19 Ford Motor Company CEO Jac Nasser today
called for a "coordinated national network of child safety seat fitting
stations to ensure that no child in America rides unprotected because mom or
dad do not know how to install a safety seat or cannot afford one."
    "From the trip home from the hospital neo-natal unit up until they weigh
80 pounds, every child needs to ride in a safety seat that is appropriate for
their size and used correctly. It's time for some old-fashioned hands-on
action. We need a coordinated message and a well thought out system of fitting
stations in communities across the nation," Nasser said.
    "The key is that government at all levels, industry and safety advocates
must come together and speak with one voice on how it should be done. No
matter what state they live in, parents must hear the same messages, receive
the same usage instructions and have competent, convenient assistance when
needed," Nasser continued.
    Jim Hall, Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
said, "We want to make parents aware that while nine out of ten of them may
think they have buckled their child and their safety seat in properly, in
eight out of ten cases, they have not."
    "Ford's program will help save countless children from needless death and
injury by giving parents individual help to be sure that their children are
getting the most protection a safety seat can give them," Hall said.
    At the recent Lifesavers 2000 conference, a prominent highway safety
meeting held annually, Ford recommended that a "child seat fitting industry
meeting or panel" be convened to develop the blueprint for a coordinated
national fitting station network.
    The company is already seeking partnerships with states to augment their
child passenger safety efforts, including fitting stations. With the help of
the International Center for Injury Prevention, Ford is announcing
relationships with Georgia, Illinois, Texas and more to be announced soon.
    Ford Motor Company's efforts with states will include grants for these
components:

    *  Expanding the local pool of trained child safety seat instructors and
       technicians.
    *  Increasing opportunities for parents and caregivers to attend fitting
       clinics.
    *  Expanding efforts to reach low-income populations and families in rural
       areas.
    *  Education to motivate parents and children to use safety seats and to
       use them correctly.

    Nasser said that Ford Motor Company dealers also will be encouraged to
increase their involvement in child passenger safety, but emphasized that the
company's efforts to increase usage will not be limited to programs at
dealerships. "Clearly, a much more aggressive, multi-dimensional program is
needed if we are going to make progress as a nation. That's why Ford Motor
Company is making a commitment to child passenger safety that is the most
comprehensive ever made by an auto company or any other business."