Child Passenger Safety Week Sept. 21 - 27

WASHINGTON, Sept. 17, 2008 - As NHTSA’s Child Passenger Safety Week campaign kicks off September 21 – 27, it reminds parents to always use a child safety seat properly in the back of their cars and to restrain their child properly according to their age and size. According to NHTSA, 8,325 lives of children under age five have been saved by the proper use of child restraints during the past 30 years.

Supporting that effort is GEICO’s annual Safety Belt Poster Contest which is now underway for the 22^nd straight year. The GEICO competition urges students to use their imagination to spread the message of seatbelt safety. GEICO winners earn cash prizes at both the regional and national levels.

GEICO wants teens to take part because new teen drivers have the highest crash rates of any age group — and they often drive unbelted. Computer-savvy students are welcome to enter the computer-generated category to design a safety belt message unique from traditional art mediums.