New AAA Foundation Guidebook Helps Community and Safety Groups Measure Child Restraint System and Safety Belt Use

WASHINGTON--Feb. 1, 20051, 2005--To help traffic safety and other groups better assess safety belt and child restraint system use in their communities, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety today released a free guidebook on collecting and using occupant restraint data. Called "A Guidebook for Observing Occupant Restraint System Use and Misuse", its release is timed for the start of National Child Passenger Safety Week, February 13-19, 2005.

"We know that increasing child restraint system and safety belt use will reduce injuries and save lives," says Peter Kissinger, President and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. "This guidebook helps community groups and traffic safety advocates to gauge safety equipment use in their communities. With this data in hand, they can determine what needs to be done to make drivers and passengers of all ages safer."

Using the AAA Foundation's guidebook can help community and safety groups to:

-- Measure child restraint system and safety belt use in their towns, counties, and states;

-- Increase community awareness about the need for everyone to buckle up;

-- Encourage involvement from government, businesses, and other organizations;

-- Increase interest in enforcing occupant protection laws;

-- Determine whether additional occupant protection programs and educational materials are needed; and

-- Evaluate the effectiveness of education and enforcement efforts

While safety belt and child restraint system use have improved over the past decade, there are still significant gains to be realized. As such, safety advocates and injury prevention experts are interested in periodically monitoring occupant restraint use and misuse and then working to increase correct use. The guidebook is designed for use at the local community level to provide guidance on how to conduct observational surveys of safety belt use and child restraint system use and misuse.

A leading traffic safety research organization, TransAnalytics, LLC, of Kulpsville, Pennsylvania, prepared the guidebook. TransAnalytics has conducted many research projects on child passenger safety and has worked with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Federal Highway Administration, and U.S. Department of Transportation.

The guidebook and all other research performed by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety can be found at www.aaafoundation.org. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is an independent, publicly funded, 501 (c)(3) charitable research and educational organization established in 1947 by the American Automobile Association. The AAA Foundation's mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by conducting research into their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce the impact when they do occur.