Nissan and `What To Expect' Authors Provide Advice on How to Drive Safely with Your Child During One of the Busiest Travel Times of the Year
27 August 1997
Nissan and `What To Expect' Authors Provide Advice on How to Drive Safely with Your Child During One of the Busiest Travel Times of the Year
`Enjoy The Ride Safely Labor Day Weekend'
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 27 -- According to the American Automobile
Association's annual travel forecast, an estimated record number of 30.7
million people will hit the road this Labor Day weekend -- that's a three
percent increase from last year. These drivers need to realize that they put
their children in great danger if they fail to properly secure them in
appropriate child restraints. Studies show that about 500 lives per year
could be saved and 56,000 injuries could be prevented with the proper use of
child restraints, however, the National Highway Administration (NHTSA) says
that too many child restraints are misused.
Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. has asked the authors of the bestselling
books, "What to Expect the First Year" and "What to Expect the Toddler Years"
(Workman Publishing), to assist them in offering guidance for parents on how
to transport infants and children safely in the car. A comprehensive 20-
minute public service video featuring the latest in child restraint safety is
available free to consumers while supplies last in either English or Spanish
language and can be obtained by calling 1-800-955-4500.
Vehicle collisions are the number one cause of injury and death to kids in
our country. According to NHTSA, current figures show that in 1995,
approximately 286,000 children under the age of 15 were injured in car
crashes, of which 1,804 died.
With numerous belt systems and child restraints on the market, information
about using them properly continues to be important. The "Enjoy The Ride
Safely: Child Restraint Guidelines" video was produced by Nissan to show how
to properly use child restraints. The video demonstrates the different types
of restraints; explains how to choose the proper restraint for your child; and
illustrates how to place and install it safely. In addition, it provides
useful safety guidelines for adult drivers and passengers.
"Many state laws only represent minimum requirements for child safety,"
said Jerry Florence, vice president, communications and strategic development,
Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A. "We recommend that parents take safety
precautions a step further by following the important guidelines provided in
this video. After all, the cargo being carried is much too valuable to put at
risk."
Sharing this goal of enhancing child safety are the co-authors of "What to
Expect the First Year" and "What to Expect the Toddler Years," Heidi Murkoff
and Arlene Eisenberg. They write: "It is not disease that parents should fear
most, but auto crashes -- which kill and maim more children yearly than all of
the major childhood illnesses combined." Heidi Murkoff, who offers an
introduction to the safety video, is taking part in the national and local
public service campaign in an effort to extend the reach of Nissan's car
safety messages.
Nissan and the authors advise parents to take the following key measures
when using child restraints in order to safely transport children in the car.
General Safety Rules
* Always buckle up. Whether you're driving across the country or around
the block, everyone who rides in your car should be securely buckled up.
* Never place a rear-facing child restraint in the front seat of a
vehicle equipped with a passenger side air bag. The air bag can kill or
seriously injure the infant.
* If possible, never put your child in the front seat. The National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends that children age 12 and
under should always be properly restrained in the back seat.
* It is never safe to ride with the infant or child in your lap.
Children are not properly protected unless securely placed in an appropriate-
sized child restraint.
* Pregnant woman should push the seat as far back as comfortably possible
and tilt the steering wheel up. They should always wear lap shoulder belts
with the lap belt placed as low as possible on the hips, not around the waist.
Child Restraint Types
The type of restraint used must be appropriate for the specific child,
depending on age and size. There are three main types of child restraints:
1. Rear-Facing Seat -- for infants typically up to 1 year old, and up to
about 20 pounds;
2. Front-Facing Seat -- for toddlers ranging from 20+ pounds;
3. Booster Seat -- for larger children, who are too small to use the
vehicle's seat belts alone, but have outgrown the front-facing seat.
In addition, a variety of convertible restraints, which change from rear-
facing to front-facing to booster seats, are available on the market.
Many state laws only require children be restrained in child restraints
until they are 4 years old or 40 pounds. The responsibility as a parent
shouldn't end there. Nissan recommends that children should be kept in
approved child restraints as long as a child can still fit comfortably into
the restraint, regardless of their age.
The Right Choice
Choosing the right type of restraint for your child is crucial. Not only
should the choice depend on the age and size of the child, but the child
restraint also needs to be compatible with your car and its seat belts.
Be sure to read the labels and literature accompanying the child
restraint. Experts recommend the use of child restraints that conform to
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213. As an additional precaution,
parents are advised to choose child restraints that meet guidelines of SAE
Practice J1819.
Installing the Child Restraint
When installing the child restraint, parents need to closely follow the
instructions provided, as well as the information contained in the vehicle's
owner manual. The different procedures are demonstrated and explained in
detail in the video. At all times, parents need to ensure that the restraint
is securely fastened with the vehicle seat belt.
"What to Expect the First Year" and "What to Expect the Toddler Years"
provide the answers to all the questions parents ask during the first years of
parenthood, giving advice on hundreds of topics, from feeding and development
to health and safety. Along with "What to Expect When You're Expecting" and
"What to Eat When You're Expecting," the books make up the bestselling
pregnancy and early childhood series that has sold 13 million copies in the
United States and is currently available in 30 languages around the world.
In North America, Nissan's operations include styling, engineering,
manufacturing, sales, consumer and corporate financing, and industrial and
textile equipment. Nissan in North America employs more than 20,000 people in
the United States, Canada and Mexico, and generates more than 70,000 jobs
through more than 1,500 Nissan and Infiniti dealerships across the continent.
More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan
and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at http://www.nissan-na.com.
SOURCE Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A.
