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Safe Kids Pennsylvania Launches New Mobile Car Seat Check-Up Van on May 20th

Posted on: Thursday, 14 May 2009, 16:06 CDT

Mobile outreach effort will provide life-saving child passenger safety information, hands-on demonstrations and free inspections

CAMP HILL, Pa., May 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Safe Kids Pennsylvania today announced that they have received a new, customized Chevy Express for use as a Mobile Car Seat Check-Up Van. The van will allow Safe Kids Pennsylvania to provide, as a public service, life-saving child passenger information and hands-on car seat installation demonstrations wherever needed.

In Pennsylvania, every child up to the age of eight is required by law to ride in an appropriate car seat or booster seat. There are height and weight recommendations which may result in use after eight years of age. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children 14 years of age and younger in the U.S. However, car seats and safety belts, when used correctly, reduce the risk of death by as much as 71 percent.

The Mobile Car Seat Check Up Van, provided by Chevrolet and Safe Kids Worldwide, is fully equipped with everything needed to provide free inspections, during which certified technicians will ensure that car seats are properly installed, and teach families how to install and use car seats correctly.

"This is great news for parents and caregivers in Pennsylvania, and we can't wait to get the new van out on the road," said Anne Franchak, executive director of Safe Kids Pennsylvania. "We know families can't always attend a child safety seat check-up, but with this new van, we're taking child passenger safety directly to families at places like community events, safety fairs and shopping centers. Families across the Commonwealth will benefit from the added resources and mobility that the van will provide."

The exterior of the van features colorful backgrounds and graphics of children in various types of child safety seats. "We hope that when parents see the colorful van on the roadways, their thoughts will turn to making sure their children are properly buckled up," Franchak added.

FREE SAFE KIDS EVENT MAY 20, 2009

The new van will be unveiled during a FREE safety check-up on Wednesday, May 20, 2009, at Lawrence Chevrolet in Mechanicsburg at 6445 Carlisle Pike. Central Pennsylvania families are invited to attend the May 20th event from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. for free car seat checkups and to learn that close supervision, proper safety devices and other prevention measures help children avoid injury.

The van is one of six donated by Chevrolet Safe Kids coalitions around the country this year. To find out more about child passenger safety or for more information on Safe Kids Pennsylvania, visit www.PaSafeKids.org or call 1-800-683-5100.

About Safe Kids Pennsylvania

The mission of Safe Kids Pennsylvania is to prevent accidental childhood injury, a leading killer of children 14 and under, through education, collaboration and advocacy. Safe Kids Pennsylvania is a member of Safe Kids USA/Safe Kids Worldwide.

EDITORS: Reporters and photographers are welcome to attend May 20, 2009 event.

Contact: Aylissa Kiely Tyndale, 717-763-1661 x117

SOURCE Safe Kids Pennsylvania

Source: PR Newswire

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