Special GM Van Helps Steer Indiana Child Seat Safety Program

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana SAFE KIDS officials are gearing up to take their child seat safety message on the road, and they'll be doing it in a specially equipped van donated by General Motors Chevrolet division.

The van, a customized Chevy Venture model, is one of 51 donated by GM to the states and the District of Columbia. SAFE KIDS representatives will provide life-saving passenger safety information and car-seat installations to various communities throughout the state.

"We're excited by this generous donation from Chevrolet," says Justin Sims, coordinator of Indiana SAFE KIDS at Indiana University School of Medicine. "The Mobile Car Seat Check Up Van adds a great dimension to our program.

Sims says the first visits will coincide with Child Passenger Safety Week in February. The van tentatively is scheduled to make stops in Indianapolis (Feb. 10, Payton Wells Chevrolet), Columbus (Feb. 11, Kari Morris Chevrolet), Fort Wayne (Feb. 16, Three Rivers Ambulance), Merrillville (Feb. 17, Shaver Chevrolet) and Terre Haute (Feb. 19, Sycamore Chevrolet/Nissan).

"Although we've been very successful at reaching parents who atttend car seat checkups at GM dealerships and other locations, we haven't yet reached those parents who, on occasion, allow their children to ride unrestrained," says Sims. "The van will allow us to reach people in Indiana we haven't been able to before."

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths among children 14 and younger. However, car seats and safety belts-when properly installed and used-reduce the risk of death as much as 71 percent.

Indiana's mandatory seat belt law requires that vehicle passengers up to 4 must be in car seats, and that youngsters from 4 to 12 must be in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt. For more information about the Indiana SAFE KIDS program, contact Justin Sims at 317-274-2977, or toll free at 888-832-3219.

###

INDIANA UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

MEDIA
RELATIONS

A STATEWIDE
RESOURCE

Phone
317 274 7722

Fax
317 278 8722