The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Encourages Parents to Celebrate
Their Children's Vehicle Safety Milestones--From the Child Seat to the
Driver's Seat

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/06/14/011196.html

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.--June 14, 2006--As children graduate from crawling to
walking, from highchair to dining room chair, and from tricycle to bicycle,
parents celebrate as each milestone is reached. However, in the case of
vehicle safety milestones, parents may miss them, or graduate their children
too soon. Early graduation can put a child's safety at risk. State Farm(R)
and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia(R) know that vehicle crashes can
happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. So to help keep kids safe from the
child seat to the driver's seat, they encourage parents to consider
graduation season as a time to evaluate and decide if their children are
ready to move to the next vehicle safety milestone.

"This is an exciting time of year for many families as children hit
milestone moments at schools," said Flaura Winston, M.D., Ph.D.,
pediatrician and crash injury researcher, The Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia. "State Farm and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia remind
parents that as children mark their next level of independence, they also
face different dangers in their larger worlds."

Good Neighbor Safety Commitment

"Child passenger safety is a serious issue and in our effort to continue our
education campaign, State Farm hopes to add a little kid-friendly fun by
encouraging parents to celebrate vehicle safety-related milestones," says
Susan Hood, claims vice president, State Farm. "In turn, these celebrations
will make a lasting impression that will help shape the habits of our future
drivers and ultimately make the roads safer for everyone."

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children older than
the age of one, and many of these unnecessary injuries and deaths can be
prevented through the use of age- and size-appropriate restraints and rear
seating for children less than 13 years. In order to protect children as
they grow, State Farm and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia recommend
that parents evaluate and enforce their children's safety restraint needs at
the following milestones:

-- Preschool (approximately 3 - 5 years old) --
-- If the child is under 4 years old and weighs less than
40 pounds, he/she should ride in a child safety seat
that has a 5-point harness system. At 40 pounds, move
him/her from a forward-facing child safety seat to a
belt-positioning booster seat. The lap belt should
rest comfortably below the hip bones, and the shoulder
belt should be snug, and cross the center of the
child's shoulder. The child should remain in the
booster seat until he/she is about 8 years old or 4'9"
tall.
-- Elementary School (approximately 5 - 11 years old) --
-- If the child is under 8 years old and under 4'9" tall,
he/she should remain in a booster seat using a
lap-and-shoulder seat belt. If the child is older than
8 years old and over 4'9" tall, move him/her from the
booster seat to a vehicle lap-and-shoulder seat belt
in the back seat.
-- Middle School (approximately 11-14 years old) --
-- All children should remain in the back seat until the
age of 13.
-- High School (approximately 14-18 years old) --
-- It is generally appropriate for teens to ride up front,
but only if they are using lap and shoulder seat belts
correctly. Whether the teen is a driver or passenger,
he/she must use proper safety restraints at all times.

Parental Influence Paves Way for Lifetime of Vehicle Safety Habits

Parents play a critical role in shaping behavior and forming good habits.
First, parents must make child passenger safety practices non-negotiable.
Second, parents must demonstrate proper safety habits by always buckling up
themselves since children tend to mimic the behaviors of those closest to
them. Lastly, positive reinforcement promotes positive behaviors.

Everyone, especially children, appreciate recognition for their
accomplishments. In fact, it's a sure-fire way to guarantee repeat positive
behavior. State Farm and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia provide
these tips to help parents celebrate their children's graduations from one
safety-related milestone to the next:

-- Show the Way - to help children understand what safe behavior
is, parents should explain vehicle safety practices to kids
and then demonstrate them. For example, congratulate children
when they get into their safety seat and explain why they need
to wear restraints and how it protects them.
-- Be a Role Model - as parents put on their seat belts, they
should make kids aware that they also use safe travel
behavior, every trip, every time - no matter if the trip is
around the block.
-- Involve the Child - When a child has outgrown his/her
forward-facing safety seat, let the child help choose his/her
new booster seat, one of his/her first grown-up decisions.
Also, an older child can learn how to buckle himself/herself
into a booster seat, just like a big kid.

For more information on the risks to child passengers and how to properly
restrain children in cars, please visit www.chop.edu/carseat or
www.statefarm.com/KidSafety.htm.