United States Department of Transportation
i
Enforcing Child Passenger Safety Laws: Eight Community Strategies
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1990-09-01
[PDF-3.97 MB]
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Alternative Title:Enforcing child passenger safety laws : 8 community strategies
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Abstract:During 1987-88, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded minigrants of $5000 each to demonstrate different techniques to enforce child passenger safety laws. NHTSA has long believed that police departments would enforce child passenger safety laws more comprehensively if they realized (1) how effective correctly used safety seats are saving lives and (2) how influential police can be in getting the public to comply with child passenger safety laws. NHTSA felt that the lessons learned from the minigrant programs described in this publication would be of special use to local police agencies in increasing their enforcement of child passenger safety laws. The sites were selected for conditions and populations that are represented throughout the country. All grant recipients were law enforcement agencies. The objectives of the program were to: increase the use of safety seats or safety belts for young children; reduce the number of child safety seats that are being used incorrectly; and promote continued use of safety seats until age five. Each police department took its own approach, according to local needs and values. From these minigrant programs it was learned that in order to maximize enforcement efforts, certain activities should be part of the overall strategy. These are: (1) Media coverage; (2) Training of law enforcement officers; (3) Information activities targeted to certain audiences; (4) Information activities coinciding with community events; (5) A safety seat loaner program; (6) Public Service Announcements; and (7) Special promotional items with a logo. In particular, the enforcement efforts of the police departments increased the correct use of safety seats in the demonstration sites. The use of safety belts by older children also increased. There were secondary benefits as well. Community relations were enhanced as the public realized how concerned the police were about the health and safety of their children. The child passenger safety enforcement efforts strengthened the relationship of the police departments with the media, the schools, health care providers, community organizations, and other governmental agencies.
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