Parents Mistakenly Believe State Laws Offer Child Passengers Protection

                 Survey Lends Urgency to Push for Better Laws

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 4 As many states consider
legislation to strengthen child passenger safety laws, a new survey lends even
greater urgency to their actions.  A national study found that nine out of ten
parents believe that if they adhere to their state's current child passenger
safety laws,(1) they will be taking adequate steps to protect their children.
No state law currently meets the standards universally recommended by safety
experts.

    The survey queried 1,000 parents and caregivers with children eight years
of age and younger.  It was conducted by DaimlerChrysler and its free child
safety seat inspection service -- Fit for a Kid -- with technical assistance
from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

    The survey also found that 96 percent of caregivers did not know the
correct age at which a child no longer requires a child safety seat or booster
seat.

    "At a time when many states are considering updating their laws,
DaimlerChrysler's survey helps states better understand how outdated laws are
impacting parents' behaviors," said Bernard I. Robertson, Chrysler Group,
senior vice president of engineering technologies and regulatory affairs.  "It
is clear that the need is even more urgent because parents see their state
laws as a guide to their families 'buckle up' habits."

    Several states are currently working to pass legislation that would
strengthen their child passenger safety laws.

    Some states, such as Ohio and New York, allow children as young as three
years old to ride completely unrestrained in the back seat or to ride in seat
belts rather than in safety seats.  Seat belts do not fit most children under
the age of eight and can actually cause serious injury to small children in a
crash.  Two states -- California and Washington -- have recently passed new
laws requiring children to be in booster seats but only up to age six or 60
pounds.

    Safety organizations, such as NHTSA and the National Safety Council (NSC),
recommend the use of child safety seats, including booster seats for children
through age eight, about 80 pounds and up to 4'9" tall.  Because no state laws
meet these standards, more than 20 million children are at risk of death or
injury in crashes as a result.(2)

    Chrysler Group's Director of Safety Compliance, Matt Reynolds pointed out
that parents can get help deciding which safety seat is right for their child
and how to properly install the seat at nearly 500 Fit for a Kid dealers
across the nation.  Dealers offer the service by appointment, to meet the
schedules of caregivers.

    "We hope parents will call us if they are confused about which seat is
right for a child and how to correctly install the seat," Reynolds said.  "Our
certified inspectors are ready to help them."

    "We can and must do more to protect our child passengers," Secretary of
Transportation Norman Y. Mineta said.  "Strengthening child restraint laws is
one of the most important things we can do to provide such protection.  We
applaud state legislative efforts to strengthen their laws and protect child
passengers."

    According to NHTSA, 84 percent of children age four to eight killed in car
crashes in the 1990s were either completely unrestrained or incorrectly
restrained in an adult seat belt restraint.(3)  Less than 10 percent of
children between the ages of four and eight use booster seats.  Car crashes
remain the number one killer of children.  NHTSA research also shows that
adults who buckle up are three times more likely to buckle up kids, so strong
adult laws are needed to ensure children are protected.  NHTSA established a
Web-based inspection locator service at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov to help families
find child passenger safety resources and information.

    In addition, the survey found that 93 percent of parents said they were
comfortable that they were using their child seats correctly -- in reality,
fewer than 20 percent of seats are correctly installed.

    DaimlerChrysler Corporation delivers the Fit for a Kid service with the
support of the NSC.  Arthur, the leading children's television character, is a
promotional partner.  Families can find a nearby Fit for a Kid dealer by
calling toll free 877-FIT-4-A-KID or clicking on the Web site
http://www.fitforakid.org .


    (1)  After the child passenger safety law in their state was read to them,
respondents were asked if they believed adherence to the law adequately
protects their children.  Eighty-eight percent said yes. (Public Opinion
Strategies for DaimlerChrysler Corporation December 2000)
    (2)  Calculated from U.S. Census Bureau, 1999 Population Estimates.
    (3)  According to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), in
the 1990s, 4,666 children between four and eight years old were killed in car
crashes.  Of these, 2,694 (58 percent) children were completely unrestrained
and 1,223 (26 percent) children were incorrectly restrained in an adult seat
belt.

            Summary of Child Passenger Safety Survey Commissioned
                         by DaimlerChrysler with the
        Support of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

    *  Eighty-seven percent of drivers of children age eight or under say they
are very or somewhat familiar with their state law regarding having to
properly secure children in either a safety seat or seat belt.

    *  And eight out of ten (83%) respondents DO correctly identify the child
safety restraint law in their state is a primary law, meaning a police officer
can ticket drivers for not securing a child in a safety seat or seat belt just
like any other traffic violation.

    *  More than nine out of ten respondents (95%) believe if they follow
their state law regarding child restraint in a motor vehicle, they are doing
what is necessary to make sure children are adequately protected in a motor
vehicle.

    *  After respondents heard the actual state law for child restraint in
their state, still almost nine out of ten (88%) of respondents believe if they
follow their state law regarding child restraint in a motor vehicle they are
doing what is necessary to make sure children are adequately protected in a
motor vehicle.

    *  Only 11 percent of respondents said they do NOT believe the state law
provides adequate protection for children in a motor vehicle.  These
respondents were asked an open-ended question about what more they thought
should be done.  Respondents said the state law should include a requirement
on the use of booster seats, the law should be based only on weight and not
age to ensure all kids are secured properly, seat belt use should be required
of children until age 18, and kids under a certain age or height should be
required by law to sit in the back seat away from the air bag.

    *  Observational research tells us only 20 percent of child safety seats
are correctly installed and used, however more than nine out of ten (93%)
respondents say they are comfortable they always correctly install and always
properly use their child safety seat.

    *  Ninety-six percent of respondents do not know the correct age at which
a child no longer requires a child safety seat or booster seat.  The median
age respondents think it is safe to secure a child in a seat belt is five.

    *  Forty-six percent of respondents are unaware of the recommendation by
national safety officials that parents should have child safety seats
inspected to make sure they are properly installed and used.

    *  Four out of ten (43%) respondents are aware there are places to go to
get their child safety seat inspected.

    *  Only 23 percent of respondents report they have actually had a
professional child safety seat inspection.