Good Morning. Thank you, Dr. Johnson [Phil Johnson, Chief Research Officer – Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia] for that kind introduction. And thank you to Children’s Hospital for hosting the kick-off of Child Passenger Safety Week. We’re glad to have U.S. Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania with us today. Senator, we appreciate all of your help with the passage of our new transportation law, SAFETEA-LU (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act, A Legacy for Users). This law is easily the most sweeping highway safety bill of the past decade, without which it would be nearly impossible to keep America moving safely.
As you know, safety is our top transportation priority. And I know that most Americans feel strongly about safety too. Yet, far too many of our Nation’s children are at risk of injury and death on our roads and highways, because too many parents are not putting their children in booster seats. Safety belts save lives, but they’re not designed for children. Children, ages 4 to 8, are too small for seat belts and can be too large for toddler seats. A booster seat raises your child up so that the safety belt fits right… and can better protect your child. But today, a shocking 80 to 90 percent of children who should be in booster seats are not. In fact, these numbers have not changed in more than 2 years. Perhaps people are unfamiliar with the risks, or unaware of the benefits. Either way, ignorance isn’t bliss…. It’s deadly.
So let me tell you the facts. Each year, over 53,000 kids are needlessly injured in crashes. If all of these children had been riding in a booster seat, it’s possible that thousands of them would have escaped their crashes virtually unharmed. But, without booster seats, the odds are stacked against our kids. Yes, it’s true that today we have some of the world’s best systems in place for keeping children alive when they are injured in car crashes because they aren’t in booster seats. The doctors and nurses of this hospital and many like it across the country can work miracles. And the fire fighters, EMT’s and paramedics, put their lives on the line to get injured children to hospitals like this one. Together, they are doing their part to address the consequences of this country’s failure to put children in booster seats. But we are not doing enough to get more children into booster seats in the first place, and that is simply unacceptable. Starting right now we must all do a better job. Federal officials must do more to get parents to put their children in booster seats. More state officials must pass booster seat laws and enforce them. And, most importantly, all parents, grandparents, older brothers and sisters, neighbors and babysitters, must learn about booster seats and then use them…. All the time.
Indeed, we all have a role to play to make sure our children stay safe, healthy and alive. It is time to stop ignoring this problem. And that’s why today I am announcing 25 million dollars in new funding over the next four years for Child Safety and Child Booster Seat Incentive Grants to get states to pass and enforce laws to keep children safe on the road.
We also are doing our part to spread the word about booster seats. Our website www.boosterseat.gov lets parents know if their child should be in a booster seat. It also has important information about the laws and how you can better protect your children… no matter their age. We also are investing over 285 thousand dollars for new billboard and radio and television advertisements that will air nationwide. These new ads are designed to get more parents to put children in booster seats.
In fact, we have copies for you today so you can encourage your own stations to spread the message. And it is a message that more people need to hear. Indeed, if more state officials had heard the message, we would have laws in all 50 states… instead of just 34 and the District of Columbia.
Today, I call on the remaining 16 states, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and Utah, that do not have booster seat laws in place to do the right thing… and pass a law now. And the other 34 states must take a close look at their own laws to make sure they are strong enough.
Of course, government can’t conquer this challenge alone. Teachers, parents, guardians, and others must lead by example. Just because booster seats are not the law of the land, doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be the law of your house. Booster seats work, they help keep kids out of harm’s way. They’re widely available and affordable… you can find them at most discount and baby supply stores. These seats are an inexpensive investment in your child’s well-being, and in his or her future. And if you can’t afford to buy one, call your local police department or office of public safety and ask about groups who will help pay for one.
Finally, I’d also like to take a minute to address the special responsibility – like it or not – that people in the public eye have when it comes to safety. People look to them to set an example, and often copy what they do. Their behavior should reflect this trust. Recent photos of Britney Spears driving with her infant son on her lap are troubling. And while Ms. Spears has acknowledged her mistake, her actions still send the wrong message to millions of her fans. No matter who you are, there’s absolutely no excuse for this display… not instinct, not fear, not even reckless paparazzi. It’s irresponsible to compromise the safety of a child for the sake of the moment.
So I’m asking everyone today… to put the safety of all of our children first. Put your children in booster seats, buckle them up, buckle yourself up and obey driving laws.
There is no reason, with the incredible resources and unprecedented focus on safety in our country today, that more Americans are not putting their children in booster seats. We are putting our children at risk unnecessarily. We need to do a better job, and I am here to tell you… we will. Thank you.
Joseph M. Colella
Traffic Safety Projects
301-829-8637