Before Labor Day Weekend Roadtrips Inspect Child Car Seats; Free Child Safety Seat Inspections Available At Chrysler/Jeep(R) and Dodge Fit for a Kid Dealers
25 August 2000
Before Labor Day Weekend Roadtrips Inspect Child Car Seats; Free Child Safety Seat Inspections Available At Chrysler/Jeep(R) and Dodge Fit for a Kid Dealers
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Aug. 25 Before taking to the roads
this Labor Day weekend, make sure your kids are properly buckled in with
DaimlerChrysler's Fit for a Kid -- a free child safety seat inspection service
open to everyone no matter what make or model vehicle you drive. More than
eight out of every ten children riding in child safety seats are incorrectly
buckled in, but the vast majority of parents are not aware of it.
Research conducted by DaimlerChrysler in partnership with the National
Safety Council shows that 96 percent of parents believe they always properly
install their child safety seats. Unfortunately, this is not true and traffic
crashes remain the number one killer of kids.
"With the heavy travel period of Labor Day approaching, parents and
caregivers should take the time now, before they hit the road, to make sure
their children are safely buckled into their car seats. Our Chrysler/Jeep(R)
and Dodge dealers are ready to help with Fit for a Kid," said James Holden,
president of DaimlerChrysler Corporation.
Working with Fisher-Price and the National Safety Council, DaimlerChrysler
is the only automaker that provides free child safety seat inspections at
permanent locations throughout the United States.
National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Jim Hall urges all families
to take advantage of this service. "It's a 20-minute inspection and it could
be the most important 20 minutes of your child's life," Hall said. "I urge
every parent to call and make an appointment to have their child's seat
inspected."
The service is available, by appointment, at more than 550
Chrysler/Jeep(R) and Dodge dealers nationwide. To locate a dealer nearest you
and for safety tips, simply call toll-free 1-877-FIT-4-A- Kid or log onto
http://www.fitforakid.org. Inspection appointments are made directly with the
dealer.
According to Master Police Officer Bob Wall of the Fairfax, Va. County
Police Department, and director of the Fit for a Kid training program, the
most common installation errors include:
* Harness straps too loose
* Seat not tightly secured
* Improper use of locking clips or not used at all
* Seat is wrong size for child
* Booster seats not used for children who need them (usually children
between the ages of four and eight years old and weighing between 40
and 80 pounds should be restrained in booster seats)
* Seat facing the wrong direction
Fit for a Kid inspectors identify problems and teach parents the proper
and safe way to install and use child safety seats. They also check the
vehicle interior for other possible hazards.
"In addition to safety seat misuse issues, many parents fail to realize
the impact of loose articles in the vehicles," said Wall. "In the event of a
crash, these items act like missiles and can strike a child or adult
passenger-causing serious injury or even death. When packing the car, be sure
to restrain any loose items."
Fit for a Kid inspectors are trained through the four-day National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration child passenger safety curriculum and certified
through the American Automobile Association. To date, more than 1,000
inspectors have been trained.
In January 1999, NTSB called on automakers and others to create a national
system of permanent child safety seat fitting stations. DaimlerChrysler is
the only company to meet that challenge by creating permanent fitting stations
with Fit for a Kid.
To generate greater awareness of the problem, DaimlerChrysler and its
dealers recently launched a multi-million dollar advertising campaign and a
promotional partnership with Arthur, the star of a best-selling book series
and the number one children's television program.
Fisher-Price, one of the country's leading child safety seat
manufacturers, provides loaner seats to families if inspectors find recalled
or damaged seats during an inspection. Fisher-Price also offers discount
coupons on its Safe Embrace convertible and booster seats.
The National Safety Council oversees inspector training, record keeping
and the quality assurance program for Fit for a Kid.
Fit for a Kid is one of several DaimlerChrysler safety initiatives. Other
safety programs include The Back is Where It's At, Stop Red Light Running, Do
the Buckle, and The Neon Drunk Driver Simulator. DaimlerChrysler also is a
partner in the Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign.