National Survey: Washington Children at Risk

       Ford Motor Company, State Officials Jump-Start Booster Seat Use
                  In Washington Through Classroom Education
              And Donating 6,000 Booster Seats to Needy Families

    SEATTLE, Aug. 16 Washington Lt. Governor Brad Owen today
joined Ford Motor Company, national booster seat advocate Autumn Alexander
Skeen, Washington United Way agencies, and a host of local and national safety
leaders in calling for a new safety habit in Washington -- booster seat use
for children who have outgrown traditional safety seats.  The Lt. Governor and
Skeen presented the first of 6,000 booster seat donations in the State as part
of Ford's Boost America! campaign.
    Lt. Gov. Owen said, "The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
has stated that traffic crashes are the number one killer of children.  These
needless tragedies can be avoided, and thanks to this initiative by Ford Motor
Company, more than 6,000 booster seats will be available in Washington for use
by children who have outgrown traditional safety seats.  This is not just
another campaign.  Child safety is our responsibility."
    Ford Motor Company Safety Communications Manager Maria Sheler-Edwards
said, "Boost America! campaign momentum is building every day.  We are pleased
to be in Washington because the leadership of this state helped start the
booster seat trend that is changing the way children ride in motor vehicles."
    Ford Motor Company is leading the $30 million national campaign to
encourage booster seat use because research shows that there is a huge safety
void.  Children ages 4-8 are at increased risk for injury or death because
typically they ride with adult belts that do not fit properly, or with no
protection.  New research by Wirthlin Worldwide found that more than nine out
of ten (93%) of parents or caregivers in Washington have read or heard about
booster seats.  But only about 27 percent are actually putting their children
in booster seats.
    Among the campaign goals is to encourage states to modify existing child
passenger safety laws to require booster seat use by older children.
"Washington is a booster seat leader because it's the home of 'Anton's Law,'
the first booster seat law in the nation," Sheler-Edwards said.  Five other
states have followed Washington's lead and passed booster seat laws.  They
are: Oregon, California, Arkansas, South Carolina and Rhode Island.
    "Anton's Law" takes effect on July 1, 2002.  It was signed into law last
year by Governor Locke in memory of Autumn Alexander Skeen's son, Anton, who
was killed in a 1996 rollover crash.  Skeen, who lives in Walla, Walla, is
helping Ford Motor Company take its booster seat message coast-to-coast.
    "It has been said that 'if only' are the two saddest words a human can
say," Skeen said.  "Parents didn't have much information on booster seats even
just a few years ago, but with Boost America!'s help, that is now changing.
    "What killed Anton and devastated us must not happen again if we have the
means to stop it," Skeen said.  "We have the means to stop it."
    Dr. Fred Rivara, MD, MPH, agreed strongly with Skeen.  "We have to realize
in this country that injuries are preventable.  It's not acceptable to have
children unrestrained or improperly restrained in cars and as a result suffer
severe or fatal injuries.  Booster seats can help reduce this dramatically."
Rivara is affiliated with Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center,
University of Washington, and Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center.
    United Way agencies across the country are helping Ford Motor Company to
identify and distribute free seats to the neediest families.
    "As the leading community-solutions provider in the nation, United Way is
extremely proud and excited to join the Boost America! campaign with Ford
Motor Company," said Jon Fine, President and CEO, United Way of Kings County.
"Most people think of their local United Way in terms of providing the more
traditional kinds of programs and services to youth.  They don't typically
think of child passenger safety as an issue we address.  Participating in this
initiative allows us to continue to enhance our mission in the communities we
serve by offering a valuable service to needy families."
    In addition to the 6,000 donated seats in Washington, Ford Motor Company
is providing booster seats to its customers through participating Ford,
Lincoln-Mercury, Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover and Mazda dealers in the state.
Customers will receive a voucher for a free or discounted booster seat at any
Toys "R" Us store.  So far, more than 150,000 vouchers have been distributed
nationally.
    Toys "R" Us Regional Vice President Sam Martin said, "We are pleased to
participate in this important campaign to promote child safety.  All of our
associates look forward to helping guests to make the right booster seat
selection when they come into our stores."
    Ford Motor Company believes that just making free booster seats available
and encouraging more awareness is not enough.  In the months ahead, Boost
America! partner organizations will be scheduling fitting stations throughout
the state.  Experts from the International Center for Injury Prevention will
demonstrate correct booster seat usage to parents and caregivers and answer
any questions.  Information on dates and locations can be obtained by calling
206-461-6934.
    Boost America! was announced officially last April.  It is the largest
child passenger safety effort ever undertaken by an automobile manufacturer.
The campaign is a partnership that includes most of the nation's leading
highway safety and child welfare organizations.
    Sheler-Edwards explained that a total of one million booster seats are
being distributed across the country.  Also, an innovative booster seat
educational curriculum has been sent to 152,000 elementary schools and day
care centers.  Included for the elementary school children is an entertaining
video by actors Will and Jada Pinkett Smith.  Younger children will receive
information from Blue of Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues.  The educational package
includes a take-home component so parents can be involved in their child's
learning experience.
    "Nothing of this scope has been attempted before.  As we take the campaign
from state to state, we are finding that children and parents alike are
responding favorably to the message that a booster seat is the 'cool' way for
children to ride," Sheler-Edwards said.
    According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA),
Ford's lead Boost America! partner, while crash-related fatalities have
declined steadily for children under age four because most ride in traditional
safety seats, there has been no similar reduction in fatalities among children
4-8 years old.  NHTSA attributes this safety deficit at least in part to the
reality that booster seat use nationally is only 21 percent.  More than 500
children ages 4-8 are killed every year in motor vehicle crashes, including 11
in Washington (1999 NHTSA statistics).
    In December of 2000, Ford Motor Company granted booster seats to the
following Native American tribes and other child safety programs in
Washington:  Snohomish Health, Yakima Indian Health.
    The Wirthlin Worldwide survey was conducted from December 2000 through
January 2001 in all states and the District of Columbia.  The total survey
sample included 11,701 interviews, yielding results that can be generalized to
the universe of American parents/caregivers of young children (within +/- 1.0
percentage point in 95 of 100 cases).
    Boost America! is trying to inculcate the message that a booster seat is a
necessary transition for children who have outgrown traditional child safety
seats, but are not big enough physiologically to use adult lap and shoulder
belts.  A booster seat is easy for parents to install and makes riding more
comfortable for a child.  As the name suggests, it boosts the child up so the
adult safety belts fit better -- snugly across the chest and low over the lap.
    More information about the campaign is available at
http://www.boostamerica.org or toll free at 1-866-BOOST-KID.

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