child passenger safety

Child Passenger Safety

BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation

Child Passenger Safety Program

BC Injury Research and Prevention UnitSpeakers’ Series

January 2007

David DunneDirector, Provincial Programs

Overview

Traffic Safety Foundation - Programs Child Passenger Safety Program BC’s Booster Seat Challenge


Partners in Road Safety

BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation• Est. 2000 – by BCAA

• Registered Charity / Non-profit Organization

• One-stop road safety resources

• Collaboration and partnerships

• Work with families and communities

• Family Road Safety Solutions


BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation Programs

School Safety PatrolChild Passenger SafetyYoung DriversMature Drivers

Family focused road safety programs


Child Passenger SafetyBackground / Current Reality

Leading cause of death and injury in BC / Canada

Over 50% of child seats used incorrectly18% booster seat use in BC

less than 1 in 5 children


Child Passenger Safety (cont’)

Common Issues…Children graduating too quickly Infants – forward facing too soon

Before 1 year of age

Children graduated to booster seats or seat belts – too soon

Children sitting in front seat (airbags)



Tethers not used - correctlySeats not secured to vehicleHarness / Seat belts / UAS

too loose not slotted correctly



No booster seat legislation in BCSignificant reductions in infant / child

and adult injuries and deathsNot same picture with 4 – 10 yr. olds


Child Passenger Safety Program

Provincial ProgramICBC partnershipOperating over 5 yrs. Resource for parents / organizations and

communitiesBuilding community capacity and support


Child Passenger Safety Program (cont’)

Child Seat Info Line Child Seat Inspection Clinics CPS Technician Training Information Sessions Website – www.childseatinfo.ca


Child Passenger Safety Program (cont’)

Police Training Child Restraint Survey Occupant Restraint Rating Booster Seat Education


Toll-Free Child Seat Information Line 1-877-247-5551 (BC) CPS Technicians available Monday – Friday / 9:00 – 5:00 Parents / care givers / professionals Information / support / booking

inspection appointments13,000+ calls annually


Child Seat Inspection Clinic FREE - Mobile service Mostly at BCAA locations Inspection not Installation service Scheduled by appointment

1.877.247.5551

3,500 people annually


CPS Technician Training Courses

National Certification 2-day courses Partner with Justice Institute For Child Seat Inspections Liability concerns 8 – 16 people per class


CPS Specialized Training Courses

Retail - Toys ‘R’ Us Public Health Child Care Workers Fire Fighters Police


Police Training and Collaboration

Specialized Enforcement Training½ day with enforcement activity

Crash AnalystsCounter Attack – Road ChecksSchool – Shopping Mall Spot ChecksChild Seat Usage Survey / Study


Information Sessions 2 hour – 1 Day

Parent Groups (new parents / pre-schools)Child care workers (foster care / victim

servicesHealth Fairs (immunization clinics / baby

fairs) Public Health Others


Website – www.childseatinfo.ca

Comprehensive information Details regarding all stages and

types (infant / child / booster) Regulations (Federal / Provincial) Technical issues (LUAS / Recalls) Fact sheets (all stages)


Fact Sheets Infant seats (birth to 1 year) Child (over 1 yr to 40 - 48lbs) Booster Seats (over 40lbs / 4’ 9” / 145 cm / approx. 4

– 9 yrs.) Seat belts (back seat / air bags) (over 9 yrs.) UAS (Universal Anchor System) Seat belts and the law Buying and installing child seats Child Seat Info Line and Inspection Clinics


Child Occupant Restraint Rating individual seating location According to occupant type

Infant / child / booster / adult Publish findings

Vancouver Province Website – www.bcaatsf.ca

Good / Could Improve / Poor


Child Occupant Restraint


Booster Seat Challenge

Car Crashes – Leading cause of death among children in Canada

2003 in BC - 955 children between 4 – 8 years seriously injured or killed in car crashes (ICBC)


Booster Seat Challenge (cont’)

Child Death Rate from Car Crashes Significant reduction for children

under 5 & over 10 • 52% & 25% between ’97 & ’01

No change for children between 5 & 9 years


Booster seats are effective – Reduce serious injuries – 60%– Prevent death

Very low usage rate in BC– 18% - 2004 Child Seat Survey

(BC)



Seat belts are designed for adultsMost children don’t reach seat belt

age until about 9 years



Without a Booster SeatCommon practice

– Place shoulder belt behind back – Under arm– Slide forward to knees bend comfortably

Lap belt more likely to contact more vulnerable abdomen


Results Internal injuries

– Vital organs lacerated, liver, spleen Spinal cord injuries

– Chance Fracture – Seatbelt Syndrome

Ejection – Submarine out from under lap belt

Head injuries– 4 times the risk of head injuries


Current Situation – in BC

No booster seat laws in BCIn British Columbia

– under 40 lbs required to be in an approved (CMVSS) child restraint

– over 40 lbs required to be restrained only by pelvic restraint


Current Situation (cont’)

Quebec – 1st booster seat law CanadaOntario and N.S. introduced booster seat

legislationIncreasing number of US states have

booster seat laws (over ½)


Current Situation (cont’)

• Three independent booster seat initiatives underway – Boost BC Public Education Campaign– Iain Black, MLA Port Moody / Westwood– Solicitor General / ICBC


BC Booster Seat Campaign


Introduced - May 2004Re-Launched – September 2006 BCAA Traffic Safety FoundationProvincial scopeMinistry of Children and Family

Development (Hon. Linda Reid)

Campaign Objectives


Increase booster seat use in BCEducate parents about need for booster

seatsMake children more accepting of booster

seatsIncrease public support for booster seat

legislation

Media / Public Awareness


Sept 2006 – Boost BC media launch Knowledge Network

- Boost BC videos (3) - Airing – Fall / Winter – 06 / 07

Public Service Announcements– TV / Radio / Print

Media relations – editorial coverage BCAA Support

member survey / position paper

Public Education

Primary target Kindergarten / Gr. 1 children and parents

Secondary targets Pre-school & Gr. 2 / 3 and parent


Campaign Elements Booster Club – kids Media campaign (PSA) – parents and kids Public events – parents and kids School Strategy – kids and parents

– In-class resources - kids– School district strategy - parents– Parent Advisory Council strategy – parents

Public Education


Booster Club for kids Kindergarten and pre-school Make seats more appealing Change the social norms Use kids to influence parents Key element – Booster Club Certificate



Booster Club Certificate– Front cover – age, min. weight, name, date– Inside spread - activity sheet (11” x 17”)

– Back panel – message to parents

Distributed freeUsed in pubic events and in-classPlacemat at local ‘family’ restaurant chain


School StrategyIn-class resources and lesson

- TSF Technician conducts 1 hour lesson- Teacher delivers lesson / materials

School District Booster Seat Policy– Children required to be properly restrained

Parent Advisory Committee support– Education and communication to parents

Other Boost BC Materials

French


Chinese


Punjabi


Posters


Iain Black, MLA• May 15th – Private Member’s Bill – 1st step

• Proposing changes to Motor Vehicle Regulations – 8yr – 80lbs (36kg)

• Media event with BCAA Traffic Safety Foundation

• Follow up media activity


Iain Black, MLA


• Summer / Fall 2006

• Solicitor General asked ICBC to conduct a focused consultation process

• Feedback from stakeholders / experts

• Reported back to Minister - Fall 2006

Iain Black, MLA


• Learn more about the issue

• Feedback on proposed changes

• Raise public awareness and debate

• Build support among other MLA

• Report to Solicitor General and Cabinet


Solicitor General / ICBC

• Summer / Fall 2006

• Solicitor General asked ICBC to conduct a focused consultation process

• Feedback from stakeholders / experts

• Report back Fall 2006



• 2 Stage Process (overlapping timing)

• Stage 1 - Feedback on draft regulatory changes– Booster Seats– Infant Seats– Exemptions



• Stage 2 – Implication for adopting regulatory changes

• Key stakeholders – Government and non-government

• Reported to Solicitor General – Fall 2006

Next Steps• Continue public education initiatives• Build public awareness and support • Await announcements resulting from Iain Black’s

& ICBC’s reports to Solicitor General• Determine next steps based on decision of

Government – regard possible changes to legislation and regulations

Boost BCChild Passenger Safety

Contact Information• Child Seat Information Line 1.877.247.5551

• Website www.childseatinfo.ca

• David Dunne, Director – Provincial Programs– 604.297.2152

• Marg Deibert, CPS Program Coordinator / Senior CPS Instructor– 1.877.247.5551

Boost BCChild Passenger Safety

Questions


child passenger safety

Documents

booster seat use

child seats

seat air bags

vehicleharness seat

inspection appointments13

seats birth

lbsbooster seats

schoolschild care workers