353,000 Children's Pedestrian & Traffic Safety Handbooks to be Distributed to Schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District & Schools Participating in the STAR Program

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WHO:            Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's STAR Unit, 
                Los Angeles Unified School District School Safe 
                Traffic Zone, Kid Guardian Foundation, Hyundai Motor 
                America and La Opinion Newspaper

WHAT:           Mr. Jose Huizar, President of the LAUSD School Board 
                and Mr. Raymond Gonzales, Principal of Brooklyn Avenue
                Elementary will initiate the distribution of a
                Pedestrian Safety Handbook developed to generate
                awareness among students and their parents and provide
                teachers with tools to integrate traffic safety into
                their curriculum. LASD STAR Deputies will support
                distribution with an interactive traffic safety course
                for children.

WHEN:           Tuesday, October 21, 2003
                8:30 a.m.

WHERE:          Brooklyn Avenue Elementary
                4620 Cesar Chavez Ave,
                Los Angeles, 90022
                (323) 269-8161

WHY:            Each year, tens of thousands of children are killed or
                injured due to motor vehicle related accidents. Motor
                vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among
                Hispanics ages 1-34. The second leading cause of death
                and serious injuries to children in California is
                pedestrian accidents and 62 percent of all child
                pedestrian fatalities were Hispanic. Since 1990, the
                Hispanic population in the United States has increased
                by nearly 60 percent. As the Hispanic population
                continues to increase, a greater proportion of future
                crash injuries and fatalities will come from the
                Hispanic community. Hyundai Motor America's Traffic
                Safety Campaign will educate parents and children on
                the proper use of safety belts and child restraints,
                and promote safe driving to help reduce fatalities
                related to motor vehicle and pedestrian accidents.

Editor's note: Please check-in at school's main office for directions to event location. Representatives from Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles Unified School District School Safe Traffic Zone and Hyundai Motor America will be available for one-on-one interviews.