Sesame Street and Ford Present Bilingual Auto Safety Campaign in Cleveland
24 February 2000
Sesame Street and Ford Present Bilingual Automotive Safety Campaign in Cleveland CLEVELAND, Feb. 24 -- Ford Motor Company ,
Children's Television Workshop, the Center for Injury Prevention (CIP), Kmart
Corporation and Penske Auto Centers have teamed up to bring the "Buckle Up
with Sesame Street" Child Car Seat Check-Up and national multi-city safety
tour to the Cleveland area.
The "Buckle Up with Sesame Street" Child Car Seat Check-Up will be held at
the Penske Auto Center at Kmart, located at 33752 Vine St., in Eastlake on
Thursday, Feb. 24 and March 2, from 2 - 7 p.m. Certified technicians will
check child car seats for proper installation in the vehicle, correct size and
fit for the child and possible safety recalls.
In conjunction with the car seat check-up, Kmart will offer their
customers a one-day only, 20 percent discount on all makes of car seats.
Elmo, Rosita and Telly Monster from Sesame Street will be on hand to take
pictures and visit with all children during the car seat check-up.
Certified child car seat technicians are provided through the Center for
Injury Prevention (CIP). CIP is a national non-profit organization dedicated
to promoting and supporting injury prevention programs. It provides training,
educational programs and many safety products at low cost to state and local
agencies, HMOs, insurance companies, hospitals and corporate benefit programs.
CIP also hosts http://www.childsafety.org , a special web site with extensive safety
information for families.
Following the child seat check-up, the "Buckle Up with Sesame Street"
safety show will perform Friday, Feb. 25 through Sunday, Mar. 5, at the
Cleveland Auto Show in Cleveland, Ohio. The shows deliver automotive safety
messages to children and parents in English and Spanish, and will be traveling
to community centers, malls and auto shows in major cities throughout the
United States.
The live song and dance program is designed to teach children and parents
safe automobile seating techniques and the importance of wearing safety belts.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that 80
percent of children are improperly restrained while riding in cars and trucks.
Other key facts highlighting the need for safety education are:
* Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children
aged 5 to 15.
* Currently, 86 children have been killed by an inflating air bag while
riding in the front seat of a vehicle. Almost all were improperly
restrained.
* Child car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 69 percent for
infants and by 47 percent for toddlers.
* Increasing safety belt usage and having children properly restrained in
the back seat is the most effective way to save lives.
"Buckle Up With Sesame Street" emphasizes these key safety messages:
* Always wear a safety belt while driving or riding in a car or truck.
* Children are safest when properly restrained in the back seat.
* Use approved child car seats for children weighing less than 80 pounds.
* Children between 4 and 11 years of age and weighing between 40 to 80
pounds should use a booster seat to help position the safety belt
across the shoulder and hips.
* Rear-facing child seats always should be placed in the back seat of
vehicles or in the front seat of trucks equipped with the passenger air
bag switch in the "off" position.
* Front seats should be moved as far back from air bags as possible.
* Educating parents and children will help reduce auto-related injuries
and deaths.
As part of their ongoing dedication to the safety and well-being of
America's families, Kmart, Penske Auto Centers and CIP are pleased to join the
Ford Motor Company and Children's Television Workshop in this effort to
educate parents and children about safe automobile seating techniques.
Ford is a leader in developing and providing reliable occupant safety for
its customers worldwide. Ford vehicles earn the highest marks of any full-
line automaker in crash test ratings released by the federal government.
Virtually every Ford vehicle currently rated has received the government's top
four- or five-star frontal crash test rating, including the 2000 Windstar.
The Windstar, equipped with side air bags, is the first and only vehicle to
achieve a quadruple five-star rating for driver and front passenger frontal
crash tests and front-and rear-seat side impact crash tests.
