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Urge Congress to Pass Kid-Friendly Transportation Law

May 23, 2012

Can we make the ways we travel safer for our kids? Safer paths to school? Safer ways to share the road with cars and trucks? Protect kids from drunk drivers? A system of safe bikeways? Yes, we can.

Safe Kids urged Congress to pass a "kid-friendly" Federal Transportation bill, recommending 22 measures that will protect children in cars, on streets and highways, and on the way to school. And we could use your help. Please take action by writing to your senators and congressmen and women to urge them to support these initiatives.

The Safe Kids’ roadmap for a “kid-friendly” bill includes provisions on drunk driving, reminders to wear seat belts in the back seat, ways to prevent hyperthermia (heatstroke) deaths in young children, and reforms to encourage drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists to share the roads safely.

Two important examples in the roadmap are:

Distraction. This threat goes beyond distractions from cell phones. There are also significant dangers posed among distracted pedestrians, including young children.

Hyperthermia. Already this year, two children have died of hyperthermia in Kansas City, Missouri and Sugarland, Texas. Safe Kids supports giving express authority for the government to educate the public on the danger of leaving kids in a car, especially in warm weather.

This “must pass” transportation reauthorization bill passed in both the Senate and House and is before a “conference committee,” which began its work last week. You can read our letter to the lead Congressional negotiators here. When you contact your representatives, please make sure to mention the "Safe Kids 22-Point Roadmap for ‘Kid-Friendly’ Transportation."

Extra Credit: Below is the list of the lead Congressional negotiators on the legislation. If they are from your state or district, your involvement is especially important. Find your Senator. Find your Congressman.