KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Organizations from across Washington State were on hand today to launch the new “Spot the Tot” program. Children and parents from Happy Hearts School in Kent participated in this new program sponsored by Safe Kids Washington. The new program is to prevent children from being injured or killed in driveways, parking lots and sidewalks and teaches parents, drivers, caregivers and children new safety habits to increase awareness about small children sharing the same space as vehicles.
Washington State has seen eleven deaths from backovers during the five years from 1999 to 2004. Almost 2,500 children per year ages 1-14 reported to emergency rooms with non-fatal motor-vehicle backover injuries in the United States from 2001-2003. During that same period, the CDC reported on average 229 fatal backover events per year for children ages 1-14. In 70% of the cases, a family member of the injured child was behind the wheel
“Many of these tragic injuries and deaths occur in driveways or parking lots when drivers fail to see small children near their vehicles. A five second walk around the car before you get in could save a child’s life,” said Dr. Brian Johnston from Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center.
Three easy tips to help keep children safer around cars are:
- Firmly hold the hand of children when near vehicles.
- Look for children in parking lots and driveways where children could be playing.
- Walk all the way around a parked vehicle to check for kids, toys and pets before entering the car and starting the motor.
Today’s event in Kent, is one of ten national events to kick off this new program. General Motors is the exclusive sponsor of the Safe Kids Buckle Up Program and today Jet Chevrolet was on hand to inform parents and caregivers of GM’s commitment to safety.
Captain Kyle Ohashi, Kent Fire Department gave a personal account of how such an incident affects EMS providers as first responders to an emergency. The family and the community in which they live are devastated when such an incident occurs.
Additional activities included informing parents and drivers how hot cars affect kids even on an October afternoon and a demonstration that showed the risk to children trapped in a vehicle trunk.
Safe Kids Washington will work with Public Health - Seattle & King County to distribute Spot the Tot window clings to car dealers, child care centers, health department partners and others involved with children of 3-5 year old children.
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Providing effective and innovative health and disease prevention services for over 1.8 million residents and visitors of King County, Public Health – Seattle & King County works for safer and healthier communities for everyone, every day.
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