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Safe Kids Buckle Up
The ProblemMotor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among children ages 3 to 14. In 2007, 1,670 children ages 14 and under died and an estimated 200,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes. Additionally, 45 percent of kids 14 and under who died in crashes were completely unrestrained. What We DoWe joined with The General Motors Corporation to create Safe Kids Buckle Up, one of the largest, most comprehensive child passenger safety programs in the country. Since 1997, the General Motors Corporation has served as Safe Kids Buckle Up's exclusive funding source and helped build the program into a multifaceted national initiative, bringing motor vehicle safety messages to children and families through community and dealer partnerships. The program offers parents and caregivers hands-on instruction about safety inside the car (including information on car seats, booster seats and seat belts) as well as around the car (featuring the Spot the Tot program). The program also presents interactive educational programs for children ages 14 and under. Safe Kids Buckle Up provides educational materials, grants and support to Safe Kids coalitions to conduct safety programs at the local level. These networks of grassroots volunteers include nationally certified child passenger safety technicians, transportation safety experts, public officials, police officers, nurses, public health experts and General Motors dealerships. The ResultsSince the program's inception, more than 20 million people have been exposed to Safe Kids Buckle Up events and community outreach efforts. Certified child passenger safety technicians working through Safe Kids coalitions have examined more than one million child safety seats at 57,000 events, and the program has donated more than 400,000 seats to families in need. With support from GM Foundation, Safe Kids Buckle Up programs are conducted by Safe Kids USA's 600 local coalitions and chapters. Program Components
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