Booster Seat Use Increases by More Than 40 Percent with Use of Incentives, AAA Foundation Study Shows; AAA Clubs of Minnesota to Provide Outreach, Incentives and Push for Improved Booster Seat Laws with Educational Incentives

BURNSVILLE, Minn.--Feb. 1, 20064, 2006--Parents and caregivers are 43 percent more likely to put children in booster seats once they learn how important booster seats are to child safety and how easy they are to use, according to a new study released today by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. When combined, education and the distribution of free seats resulted in parents and caregivers being more than twice as likely to use car booster seats.

Each year more than 400 children ages 4-8 are killed in traffic crashes and another 70,000 are injured, according to the AAA Foundation. Child booster seats are designed for children around 4-8 years old, and when properly used with lap and shoulder belts, they can reduce serious injury by 60 percent.

"Car crashes are the leading cause of death for children and booster seats are known lifesavers when properly used in conjunction with lap and shoulder belts," said Dawn Duffy, Public Relations Manager, AAA Minneapolis. "Unfortunately, many children are put at risk when they are either unrestrained or prematurely restrained with the adult seat belt, thus skipping the booster seat step."

The AAA Foundation initiated the study to determine which of the many interventions are most effective at getting caregivers to put children in booster seats. The Foundation commissioned researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to undertake a systematic review of studies that had evaluated interventions aimed at increasing booster seat use. This first-of-its-kind Cochrane Review study led by Dr. John Ehiri, Associate Professor in the UAB School of Public Health, confirmed that three approaches work best: 1) education, 2) education in conjunction with giveaway programs, and 3) education with incentive programs, such as a discount coupon to purchase a booster seat.

According to the AAA Clubs of Minnesota the research also has important implications for state policymakers in that single interventions are not the answer. AAA says it is important to pass booster seat legislation and connect it with educational and outreach components such as car seat clinics.

"Parents often look to state laws for guidance in traffic safety issues," said Gail Weinholzer, Director of Public Affairs, AAA Minnesota/Iowa. "Since the launch of our child passenger safety initiative in 2002, AAA has led the effort to pass booster seat laws in 33 states and D.C., however; only sixteen of those states include an educational component in their law."

To provide further incentives for parents to use a booster seat, the AAA Clubs of Minnesota announced today it is distributing more than 1,000 coupons from Babies 'R Us that offer a $10 discount on any booster or safety seat more than $40. The coupons are available at Twin Cities AAA club offices and are valid through April 30th at any Babies 'R Us retail location. The coupons are attached to a flyer available in both English and Spanish that includes correct steps for child occupant protection until the child is tall enough to use the adult seat belt by itself.

AAA (www.aaa.com) offers automotive, travel, insurance and financial services to more than 48 million members in the United States and Canada. AAA Minnesota/Iowa is part of The Auto Club Group, with 4.1 million members in eight Midwest states. AAA Minneapolis has more than 175,000 members throughout Hennepin County.