Governor's Office Of Highway Safety Caravan Rolls to Bibb County

Governor's Office Of Highway Safety Caravan Rolls to Bibb County

Multiple Events Planned to Promote Child Passenger Safety 

MACON, GA (Friday, September 14, 2012) – On July 1, 2011, Georgia established a new child passenger safety law requiring children under the age of eight to be properly secured in the back seat of a motor vehicle in a car seat or booster seat. This law not only increased child restraint requirements for Georgia's children, but also required additional education for parents and caregivers on how to transport children properly and safely.

In recognition of National Child Passenger Safety Week, September 16-22, the 2012 Traffic Injury Prevention Caravan will visit Bibb County. The Caravan is a cooperative effort between The Children's Hospital at The Medical Center of Central Georgia (MCCG), the Kohl's Kids Safety Zone, local law enforcement, Bibb County school administrators and teachers, the University of Georgia Traffic Injury Prevention Institute, the Georgia Department of Public Health, Office of Injury Prevention, Bibb County Health Department, the Governor's Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) and many other agencies.

"We are so excited to be joining our partners for such an important event. Our children are our most precious cargo and we need to make sure they're safe and secure every time they get in a car,” ," said GOHS Director Harris Blackwood.

A week of events designed to increase safety awareness will include law enforcement check points, child safety seat checks, educational classes for caregivers, and school safety presentations.

On Tuesday, September 18, the Caravan will hosts a rollover simulation at Howard High School, 6400 Forsyth Road, beginning at 8:30 a.m. All students will attend the rollover simulation and participate in an impaired vision demonstration to learn firsthand the dangers of driving while texting or while under the influence. The same simulation and demonstration will take place at Rutland High School, 6250 Skipper Road, on Wednesday, September 19 beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Caravan representatives will also speak to students at Sonny Carter Elementary School, 5910 Zebulon Road, on Tuesday, September 18 beginning at 9:30 a.m., and at Ingram-Pye Elementary School, 855 Anthony Road, on Wednesday, September 19 beginning at 9:30 a.m. Students at the elementary schools will learn about proper booster seat use and school bus safety.

In addition, Macon Mayor Robert Reichert will declare September 19 National Child Safety Day in Macon at 10:00 a.m. in a ceremony at City Hall.

These are not public events, but the media are invited to attend.

Finally, The Children's Hospital at MCCG, in partnership with the Kohl's Kids Safety Zone and the Governor's Office of Highway Safety, will host a Child Passenger Safety Check at Walmart, 5955 Zebulon Road, from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 19. This is a public event, and the entire community is encouraged to attend.

“We have found, through child seat checks similar to the one that will be held Wednesday, that three out of four car seats are not installed correctly. It is the hope of all those involved in the 2012 Traffic Injury Prevention Caravan that our community will continue to work together to ensure that our children remain safe and injury-free,” said Ashley Lord, Kohl's Kids Safety Zone Coordinator for The Children's Hospital at MCCG.

The Caravan is supported by a grant from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety.