New Guidebook Available to Help Community and Safety Groups Access Child Restraint System and Safety Belt Use…

To help traffic safety and other groups better collect, assess, and use safety belt and child restraint system use data in their communities, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety recently released “A Guidebook for Observing Occupant Restraint System Use and Misuse.”

“We know that increasing child restraint system and safety belt use will reduce injuries and save lives, ” says Peter Kissinger, President and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “This guidebook helps community groups and traffic safety advocates to gauge safety equipment use in their communities. With this data in hand, they can determine what needs to be done to make drivers and passengers of all ages safer.”


Using the AAA Foundation's free guidebook can help community and safety groups to:

  • Measure child restraint system and safety belt use in their towns, counties, and states;

  • Increase community awareness about the need for everyone to buckle up;

  • Encourage involvement from government, businesses, and other organizations;

  • Increase interest in enforcing occupant protection laws;

  • Determine whether additional occupant protection programs and educational materials are needed; and

  • Evaluate the effectiveness of education and enforcement efforts.

While safety belt and child restraint system use have improved over the past decade , there are still significant gains to be realized. As such, safety advocates and injury prevention experts are interested in periodically monitoring occupant restraint use and misuse, and then working to increase correct use. The guidebook is designed for use at the local community level to provide guidance on how to conduct observational surveys of safety belt use and child restraint system use and misuse.

TransAnalytics, LLC, a leading traffic safety research organization located in Kulpsville, Pennsylvania prepared the guidebook. TransAnalytics has conducted many research projects on child passenger safety and has worked with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Federal Highway Administration, and U.S. Department of Transportation.

For a free copy of the guidebook, visit our home page for an electronic copy or email info@aaafoundation.org to receive a hardcopy.

 

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