Sesame Street and Ford Present Safety Campaign in Detroit Metro Area
29 March 2000
Sesame Street and Ford Present Bilingual Automotive Safety Campaign in Detroit Metro Area
DEARBORN, Mich., March 29 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
metro Detroit area.
The "Buckle Up with Sesame Street" Child Car Seat Check-Up will be held at
Ford World Headquarters' Vehicle Service Center on March 29, from 2:00 p.m. -
7:00 p.m. and the Penske Auto Center at Kmart on March 30, from 2:00 p.m. -
7:00 p.m. Ford's Vehicle Service Center is located at 4751 Mercury Drive in
Dearborn and is open to both Ford employees and the public. The Penske Auto
Center at Kmart is located at 28800 Telegraph Rd. in Southfield. 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 at the Penske Auto Center, Kmart
will offer their customers a one-day only, 20 percent discount on all makes of
car seats on Thursday, March 30. 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, Mar. 31 through Sunday, April 2, at the
Fairlane Mall in Dearborn. The shows delivers 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.
News releases and high-resolution photographs are available on the Ford
Motor Company media Web site (http://media.ford.com). Photographs are
provided to the media at no charge. The company holds the copyright for this
material, which is provided for editorial use only. Personal or commercial use
is prohibited. Call the Media Information Center at 800-665-1515 for immediate
assistance from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET Monday through Thursday and to 6 p.m. on
Friday.
