National Press Release

Award Recognizes Outstanding Contributions to the Safety of America's Children

WASHINGTON, March 30 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Safe Kids Buckle Up, the comprehensive child passenger safety program of Safe Kids USA in partnership with General Motors, received a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Public Service Award today at the annual Lifesavers highway safety conference in Nashville. The award recognizes Safe Kids Buckle Up's "outstanding contributions to the safety of America's children on and off the road and for leadership in improving occupant protection legislation."

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This is the third prominent national award received by Safe Kids Buckle Up in less than a year. In September 2008, the program was honored with a Governors Highway Safety Association Peter K. O'Rourke Special Achievement Award. And in June 2008, the program was recognized with a Safety Leadership Award from the National Transportation Safety Board to honor the program's achievement of installing more than one million child safety seats for families across the country. When the award was presented, NTSB Acting Chairman Mark Rosenker said that the Buckle Up program had likely saved hundreds of children's lives as a result of the million seat milestone.

"In 1997 Safe Kids and General Motors joined together to create a hands-on vehicle safety program of unprecedented scope," said Edwin K. Zechman, Jr., president and chief executive officer of Children's National Medical Center, the parent organization of Safe Kids Worldwide. "Today, Safe Kids Buckle Up has grown into the largest and most comprehensive child passenger safety program of its kind. Far more than a million children in communities across the country have been better protected in and around vehicles because of this innovative partnership. General Motors is to be commended for its long-term support and dedication to the prevention of child injuries."

Recently, Safe Kids received word of one of the latest lives saved by the Buckle Up program. Melissa Knighton learned how to properly install her 2 and a half year old daughter Ceiryn's car seat at a Safe Kids Buckle Up event in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Syracuse, Utah in August 2008. On January 3, that training paid off:

"We were on our way home from running errands at dusk, when I noticed a car at an upcoming intersection in the left turn lane," said Knighton. "I proceeded through the intersection at about 40 MPH, the speed limit. Suddenly the car pulled out in front of me, I slammed on the brakes, but there was nothing I could do to stop. We collided with the car nearly head-on.

"I was wearing my seatbelt and still had many injuries. But Ceiryn, who was secured in her seat, didn't have a scratch on her. My car was old and the seatbelts in the back don't lock like they do in a newer car. But the car seat technician showed us how to lock in Ceiryn's seat so it wouldn't move.

"If Ceiryn's seat had been installed the way it was before the Safe Kids Utah checkup event, it never would have stayed in place during the crash. There is no doubt in my mind that learning how to correctly install Ceiryn's saved her life. My daughter is my life and my reason for being. Thank you Safe Kids and General Motors for teaching me how to protect her."

Torine Creppy, chief program officer for Safe Kids Worldwide and the director of the Safe Kids Buckle Up program, accepted the NHTSA award. "We are honored to have Safe Kids Buckle Up and our unique partnership with General Motors recognized by this prestigious award," Creppy said. "Reaching more than 19 million families with our life-saving programs is truly a team effort. Safe Kids' more than 600 coalitions and chapters, thousands of volunteers around the country and our partner GM have all been integral to the success of this program"

Safe Kids Buckle up has been inspecting child safety seats for correct installation and educating families about how to be safer in and around vehicles since 1997. Over the past 12 years, Safe Kids has held approximately 52,000 vehicle safety events for families and checked more than a million car seats for proper installation. The program has also donated more than 367,000 child safety seats to families in need. In addition, the program has created innovative activities that go beyond crash protection by educating families on other dangers children face in and around vehicles such as hyperthermia and back-over/roll-over risks.

SOURCE Safe Kids Buckle Up