General Motors Child Safety Campaign, Precious Cargo, Reaches 1.2 Million in Three Months
19 August 1997
General Motors Child Safety Campaign, Precious Cargo, Reaches 1.2 Million in Three MonthsDETROIT, Aug. 19 -- More than one million American and Canadian consumers and retailers have requested free copies of GM's newest child safety educational material since it was introduced three months ago. An easy to use informational booklet titled, "Precious Cargo: Protecting the Children Who Ride With You," provides essential tips and facts about child passenger safety including the proper use and installation of child passenger restraints. A videotape also is available. Outreach programs with the American Academy of Family Physicians and La Leche League International, as well as state, local and grassroots organizations, have made the materials available to a wide range of parents and caregivers. The National Safety Council's 75 affiliates and chapters are distributing Precious Cargo to those who request child passenger safety information. According to National Safety Council executive director of public affairs, Charles Hurley, "Precious Cargo contains the essential information parents and others need to protect children from the leading risk they face -- riding unrestrained in a car crash. GM's program should help prevent these senseless tragedies." In addition to medical organizations and government agencies, retailers who sell child passenger restraint systems also are making education a top priority by incorporating Precious Cargo materials into employee training programs. Sears Roebuck and Co. ordered 45,000 copies of the booklet for use by sales associates in "The Kids Store" departments at Sears nationwide. "The Precious Cargo booklets enable our sales associates to better help customers understand issues about safety when they purchase car seats," said Kathleen Holubek, business training manager for Sears children's department. "The phenomenal response to out Precious Cargo program is testimony to the interest of families, agencies and retailers on the whole child passenger safety issue," said Bob Lange, GM's director of safety engineering. "General Motors cares about keeping all children safe. We're parents, too. Our goal is to help prevent some of the 270,000 unintentional child passenger injuries each year," Lange added. Free copies of these materials are available to consumers and retailers in the United States and Canada by calling 1-800-247-9168. English, Spanish and French Canadian versions are all available upon request. GM's U.S. and Canadian dealerships -- Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Buick, Cadillac, GMC and Saturn -- also have Precious Cargo materials available as well as the more than 200 National SAFE KIDS Campaign coalitions. To date, more than 1.2 million English-language booklets have been provided to those requesting them, as well as more than 60,000 Spanish-language booklets and 60,000 videotapes. SOURCE General Motors