DURHAM — NCDOT’s Governor’s Highway Safety Program joined the Department of Insurance, Office of the State Fire Marshal, Safe Kids NC and a myriad of local agencies to co-host a child passenger safety clinic at Excelsior Classical Academy in Durham this week.
Governor Roy Cooper has proclaimed September 24 through 28 ‘Child Passenger Safety Week.’ Tuesday’s event was held on ‘Child Passenger Safety Day.’
Every year in North Carolina nearly 200 children die from accidental injuries and another 45,000 visit a doctor's office for treatment of such injuries, according to Safe Kids North Carolina whose mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury.
“From this clinic alone we know that 29 children are safer in Durham, and we hope to reach many more with awareness activities like these,” said Safe Kids NC Deputy Director of Injury Prevention Shannon Bullock.
Several safety officials spoke at Tuesday’s clinic.
“We see firsthand on a cyclical basis, child after child, with head, neck and bodily injuries or even ejected during a collision, which could be prevented with proper restraining,” said Duke Health Pediatric Emergency Department Physician Dr. Emily Sterrett.
“More grandparents and relatives are supporting today’s families,” echoed Chief State Fire Marshal & Senior Deputy Commissioner Brian Taylor. “Thus we have firefighters on hand, and at most stations across the state to help all caregivers, immediate and distant, properly restrain child passengers before driving,” said State Fire Marshal Brian Taylor.
“In the wake of Hurricane Florence, we are reminded of how important child passenger safety is and the implications poorly secured seats can have on children,” said Mark Ezzell, Director of the NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program which funds efforts to reduce traffic crashes in North Carolina. “We urge drivers to make sure kids are safely secured in fully approved car seats, and that parents practice safe driving especially when children are passengers.”
For more information about keeping kids safe visit: http://www.buckleupnc.org/.