Child Passenger Safety Legislative Strategies

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Child Passenger Safety Legislative Strategies

• Alan Korn
• Tanya Chin Ross
• Leadership Conference 2005

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Session Goals

• Learn advocacy techniques to help upgrade child
  passenger safety laws
• Hear specific tips to help overcome legislative
  obstacles
• Learn enforcement strategies to help promote your
  states child restraint law
• Find out what resources are available to assist
  your coalition in advancing public policy

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Session Outline

• Child Passenger Safety Legislative Overview
  Alan Korn Tanya Chin Ross (Safe Kids)
• Safe Kids Connecticuts Advocacy Effort
  Karen Brock (Safe Kids Connecticut)
• Safe Kids Marylands Advocacy Effort
  Barbara Beckett (Safe Kids Maryland)
• National Transportation Safety Boards Advocacy
  Presentation Danielle Roeber (NTSB)
• Coalition Resources Tanya Chin Ross (Safe Kids)
• Question and Answer Period All

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Child Safety Seat Laws

• All 50 states and the District of Columbia have
  child occupant protection laws, which vary in
  their age requirements, exemptions, enforcement
  procedures, and penalties.
• In 2001, only two states (California and
  Washington) had booster seat laws.
• Currently, a total of 34 states (including the
  District of Columbia) have booster seat laws on
  the books.

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Legislative Changes

• Elimination of Exemptions
• Specificity in Type of Child Safety Seat Based on
  Age, Weight, and/or Height
• Back Seat Provisions
• Increase in Fines for Violation or Establishment
  of Classes for Violators
• Funds Set Aside for Public Education or the
  Creation of a Public Fund
• Responsibilities for Car Rental Agencies

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Safe Kids Model CPS Law

• Safe Kids model law requires the correct
  restraint of all children in all seating
  positions, in the care of all drivers.
• Children through age 15 in some type of restraint
  in all seating positions
• Children through age 7 in an appropriate child
  safety seat in all seating positions
• Children should ride in the back seat

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Safe Kids Model CPS Law

• Provide a public fund and education campaign to
  promote child passenger safety
• Penalize those who do not comply with the law
  with penalty points, drivers license suspension
  and a fine of at least 76, and require offenders
  to attend an educational class about child
  passenger safety
• Not waive penalties for those guilty of violating
  their states child occupant protection law

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Safe Kids Model CPS Law

• Not exempt drivers under any circumstance
• Require public funding of a child safety seat
  loaner/giveaway program
• Require car rental agencies to provide customers
  with child safety seats and educational materials
  about the states child occupant protection law
  and child passenger safety

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Opposition to Upgrading Child Passenger Safety
Laws

• Government Interference With Parental Rights
• Insignificant Number of Statewide Deaths or
  Injuries
• Opposition to Age Criteria (i.e., booster seat
  use through age 7)
• Difficulty or Unwillingness to Enforce Laws
• Public Education Instead of Passing a Law
• My constituents cant afford child safety
  seats.

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How to Make the Case for Upgraded Child
Restraint Laws

• Child Motor Vehicle Occupant Deaths Injuries
• State Laws vs. Laws of Physics
• Parents Look to the Law for Guidance
• Cost Savings (Health Care Other Related Costs)
• Growing Number of Upgraded Laws
• Best Interest of the Child

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How to Make the Case for Upgraded Child
Restraint Laws

• Supporting Organizations
• National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  (NHTSA)
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
• Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)
• International Association of Chiefs of Police
  (IACP)

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Enforcement Strategies

• Conduct Education About Your Law
• 1. Before the Law Takes Effect
• 2. When the Law Takes Effect
• 3. After the Law Takes Effect

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Enforcement Strategies

• Law Flyers to Schools, Doctors Offices, Car
  Rental Agencies Parents/Caregivers
• Law Cards (Ticket-Sized) to Police Officers
• Presentations/Trainings to Day Care Centers, Head
  Start Programs Police Officers
• Saturation Patrols Voucher Giveaways With Local
  Police Departments

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Enforcement Strategies

• Collaborate with your Department of Motor
  Vehicles on Website Content and/or a Public
  Awareness Campaign
• Conduct Specialized Outreach to Target
  Populations (For Example, Certain School Grades
  Affected by the New Law)
• Materials Placement at Retail Outlets (Car Seat
  Aisles)

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Safe Kids Wyomings Billboard
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Enforcement Strategies

• Letters to the Editor
• Public Service Announcements (PSAs)
• Outreach to Local Media
• Movie Theatre Slides
• Involvement of Bill Sponsors

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Things to Keep in Mind

• Use Your Car Seat Check Up Events as Educational
  Opportunities
• Effective Date of New Law
• Know Your Neighboring States Laws
• Federal Support for Your Enforcement Efforts

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Public Policy Resources

• Resources from the Safe Kids Public Policy
  Department
• Resource Manual, Model Legislation, Sample
  Support Letters, Talking Points Legislative
  Information
• Legislative Enforcement Grants
• Coalition Extranet
• Public Site www.usa.safekids.org
• Sharing of Information/Resources from Other
  Coalitions

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Public Policy Resources

• National Organizations
• American Academy of Pediatrics
• Governors Highway Safety Association
• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
• Federal Government Agencies
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• National Transportation Safety Board
• Centers for Disease Control

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Contact Information

• Alan Korn, Director of Public Policy General
  Counsel, 202/662-4463, akorn_at_safekids.org
• Tanya Chin Ross, Senior Public Policy Associate,
  202/662-0606, tross_at_safekids.org
• Pete Smithson, Project Assistant,
  202/662-4471, psmithson_at_safekids.org