PA Launches Child Passenger Safety Campaign

Billboards Remind Parents to Buckle Up Kids Every Trip, Every Time

HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Safe Kids Pennsylvania wants to make sure the state's youngest travelers stay safe. As part of the National Child Passenger Safety annual initiative, Safe Kids PA has launched a statewide billboard campaign.

The "Safety on the Go" campaign encourages parents, grandparents and caregivers to secure children in the appropriate child safety seat. This year's initiative places special emphasis on keeping children up to 8 years old in booster seats.

According to a 2008 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the use of child restraints declines as children get older. From birth to 12 months, 99 percent of children ride in a restraint. It drops to 92 percent for kids ages 1 to 3. For kids ages 4 to 7, 89 percent are restrained. But only 85 percent of kids ages 8 to 12 ride in a restraint.

"Parents need to set the rules and stay vigilant," said Anne Franchak, Safe Kids PA Director. "Booster seats and seat belts are just as important for older kids as car seats are for younger kids."

A total of 84 billboards will be on display in Erie, York, Harrisburg, Williamsport, Pittsburgh, Scranton, Altoona and Reading throughout the fall. The statewide campaign is funded by PA Department of Health.

"Billboards allow us to reach a large audience and target drivers in high population areas," Franchak added. "These signs will remind adults to ensure their children are buckled up in appropriate child safety seats, booster seats, or seatbelts -- every trip, every time."

  For more information on child passenger safety, visit www.pasafekids.org/

  About Safe Kids Pennsylvania

Safe Kids Pennsylvania works to prevent accidental childhood injury, the leading cause of death and disability for children ages 1 to 14. Safe Kids Pennsylvania is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing accidental injury.