Booster
Seat Grant |
| During 2001, 2002 and 2003, DRIVE SMART Colorado Springs was the recipient of a three-year booster seat education and research grant from the Colorado Department of Public Health |
|
Four unannounced booster seat observational surveys were conducted within the three year time-frame and after intense educational and distribution efforts, it was documented that the booster seat usage rate went from 11% to 20%,up to 39% and ending with a 47% booster seat usage rate.
- Four focus
groups occurred at two area elementary schools – two for
children 5 – 8 years old, and two for parents of 5 –
8 year old children. The key points revealed in the focus groups
were
o parents think that the law protects the kids
o booster seats are expensive and difficult to purchase and use
o kids said they would stay in booster seats longer if their parents made them and if they were cool
- $33,000
worth of no-back and high-back booster seats was purchased to
give away to the public over the three years, – representing
over 900 free booster seats to date distributed in El Paso County
primarily to under-served and low-income populations.
- 50,000 booster
seat brochures were printed and distributed to hospitals, doctor’s
offices, daycare centers, health and child centers on military
bases, schools and other organizations that request such information.
12,000 brochures printed in Spanish were distributed.
- Two separate
two-month radio campaigns on 18 southern Colorado radio stations
occurred. In each two-month segment over 3,400 radio spots promoting
the importance of booster seat use were heard throughout southern
Colorado.
- A billboard
campaign ran from December 25, 2001 – February 28, 2002
with 13 billboards and 12 illuminated shelters that were seen
by approximately 262,800 people a day.
- Colorado
Springs held a Boost America event in August 2001 and gave away
nearly 300 booster seats.
- Hispanic
and African American outreach included booths at the local Cinco
De Mayo Festival and Juneteenth Celebrations where individuals
received important education and a coupon good for one free booster
seat. Also included at the booth was the safety belt convincer
and other seat belt information for adults without kids. Additionally,
presentations were made (and booster seats distributed) to families
at several Spanish Speaking family nights in a low-income, diverse
school district.
- As a result
of the influx of booster seats in DRIVE SMART Colorado Springs
possession, DSCS was able to donate several-dozen booster seats
to local military installations, the City-owned Hospital and social
services organizations to assist them with their public in need
of booster seats.
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