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Check out the latest Children's Product Recalls from February 2017
Safe Kids is committed to keeping you informed about recalls of products that can put kids at risk. This recall report includes infant bath tubs and electric scooters. The Safe Kids’ recall center is a unique place where parents and caregivers can go to stay up-to-date on recalls of all child-related products.
SIGN UP! Did you know that more than 1600 car seats were recalled this month? Would you have wanted to be among the first to know? Sign-up for our twice-monthly recall email.
Hundreds of families and kids of all ages swept through the fabulous Highline Stages in New York City on May 18 for the first national Safe Kids Day family event.
Thanks to our supporters, including presenting sponsor Children's Tylenol, Safe Kids Day raised more than $635,000 to protect kids from preventable injuries, the No. 1 killer of kids in the United States.
Check out the children's product recalls from October 2016.
OXON HILL, MD – As part of National Heatstroke Prevention Day, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) joined Safe Kids Worldwide in urging parents and caregivers to take proper precautions to prevent child heatstroke tragedies in hot vehicles. NHTSA also unveiled a new technical report to help manufacturers develop effective technology innovations to prevent the dozens of child heatstroke deaths that occur each year.
By formalizing family agreements and being a good role model, parents can improve the odds against the leading cause of death for teens in the U.S.
Washington, D.C. – Every day, six teens die in a motor vehicle crash. These tragedies are often the result of inexperienced teen drivers taking risks like not buckling up, texting, driving with teen passengers, speeding, driving under the influence or driving in the dark. New research from Safe Kids Worldwide and General Motors Foundation reveals parents can play an important role in reducing this risky behavior by talking with their teens, formalizing – and enforcing – a family agreement about driving rules and modeling good behavior.
The report shows that when parents and teens discuss rules for driving, and come to an agreement, whether verbal or written, teens are less likely to engage in risky behavior while driving. For instance, teens who have an established family rule against drinking and driving were 10 times less likely to report doing that illegal behavior than those who didn’t have an established rule. Teens with explicit family rules were more likely to wear their seat belt every time and were less likely to drive distracted or speed.
The research also showed parents who demonstrated good behavior impacted the safe driving habits of their teen drivers. For example, teens who saw a parent driving after drinking were three times more likely to report driving after drinking than teens whose parents modeled safe behavior. And past research revealed that teens were more likely to buckle up on every ride if their parents made buckling up a consistent habit from a young age.
Particularly disturbing are the statistics on the risks for males. Males make up 75 percent of teen deaths in car crashes, and the risk of a crash by teen drivers is almost three times higher if their passengers are male.
“Our sons and daughters are dying in car crashes because they are inexperienced drivers who are taking unnecessary risks, like texting, driving under the influence, speeding and not wearing a seat belt,” said Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. “Given that 3 out of every 4 deaths is a son, I encourage all parents, particularly parents of young men to make it a priority to put an agreement in place and make sure you are following the rules, too.”
Teens also reported that their parents had the most influence on their driving and that the time teens spent practicing driving with their parents was the most helpful. Although legal requirements vary by state, it is recommended that teens get at least 50 hours of experience behind the wheel, under a variety of conditions, before setting out on their own. Having more experience behind the wheel helps new drivers manage driving in the dark and driving with other teen passengers in the car, situations that can increase the likelihood of crashes for young drivers.
“Technology advances in vehicles today, such as forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking, provide more help to the driver,” said Jeff Boyer, vice president of global vehicle safety at General Motors. “But being a new driver can be quite challenging, so it is especially important for teens to stay focused while driving and always buckle up. Additionally, our newly introduced Teen Driver feature now provides parents a teaching tool for their young drivers which helps to develop and reinforce safe driving habits.”
Smart Strategies for Parents of Teen Drivers:
- Make a formal agreement with your teen driver and enforce it.
- Be a role model for safe driving by following the rules yourself.
- Ensure your new teen driver gets at least 50 hours of experience under a variety of driving conditions.
Download the interactive infographic to review common risks and tips.
Download a sample family agreement.
The Safe Kids Buckle Up program is a national initiative established 19 years ago by Safe Kids and GM and the GM Foundation to keep children, teens and families safe in and around cars. GM’s long term commitment to educating families has helped the child safety program evolve into one of the most comprehensive in the nation, and covers children from birth to the time they become drivers.
Partnership focuses on local teen driving programs and educational resources for teens and their parents
Washington, D.C. – In recognition of National Teen Driver Safety Week (Oct. 17-23), Safe Kids Worldwide and Impact Teen Drivers (ITD) announced today a new partnership dedicated to addressing the number one killer of teens—car crashes, particularly those caused by reckless and distracted driving.
The Enhancing Child Passenger Safety in Underserved Communities Act would push states to protect rural and underserved children
Washington, D.C. - Today Safe Kids Worldwide commends Rep. Dina Titus and her introduction of the Enhancing Child Passenger Safety in Underserved Communities Act. If enacted, this legislation would push states to ensure that all children are protected in motor vehicles.