Utah Department of Public Safety

Healthy and Safe Kids Now Available on Aisle Eight

 For Immediate Release

PDF of CPS Week News Release 2015
Contact:
Steve Wright – R&R Partners                        Keri Gibson – Utah Highway Safety Office

801-531-6877                                                      801-243-7571

steve.wright@rrpartners.com                          kgibson@utah.gov

HEALTHY AND SAFE KIDS NOW AVAILABLE ON AISLE EIGHT

 Fresh Market grocery stores partner with the Utah Highway Safety Office and state safety advocates to share important messages about the correct car seats for young children.

Salt Lake City, September 7th, 2015 – According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, child safety seats and booster seats reduce the risk of death in passenger vehicles by 71 percent for infants, and by 54 percent for toddlers ages 1 to 4.

To help parents ensure their kids are in the right car seat, the Utah Highway Safety Office and Fresh Market stores have partnered on a public safety education campaign aimed at parents. During Child Passenger Safety Week (September 13-19), Fresh Market stores throughout Utah will feature educational signage and special tools that help parents understand how to select and install the right car seat for their children.

On Thursday, September 10, 2015 at 10:00 a.m., Utah Highway Safety officials, Associated Food Stores’ leadership and state safety advocates will gather at the Fresh Market store located at 4530 S. Highland Drive in Salt Lake City, Utah to formally present the safety campaign and share related information to help protect Utah’s youngest passengers. Speakers include Officer Michael Millet of West Valley City, Breeana and Gisselle Burt, a mother and daughter who survived a crash, and a representative from Associated Food stores.

Beginning September 12^th, a custom-designed height and weight chart will greet parents who enter Fresh Market stores. The charts provide simple, but vital measurements that will educate parents on the appropriate car seat for their small children. “We understand the need to keep Utah kids safe,” shares Sarah Pettit from Associated Foods. “We are proud to partner with Utah Highway Safety on this initiative, and we urge our guests to take a moment to consider the safety messages-and make the necessary adjustments to keep their kids in the appropriate car seat.”

To further enhance the safety message, all supporting Fresh Market locations will display hanging graphics that remind parents that 3 out of 4 car seats in Utah are installed incorrectly. Additional signage on shopping carts throughout the stores will provide further details about the four steps for kids’ car seats that address rear-facing car seats, forward-facing car seats, booster seats and seat belts. “Choosing the right size seat and making sure it’s installed correctly are critical,” shares Utah Highway Patrol, Colonel Daniel Fuhr. “Utah has dedicated child passenger safety technicians available year-round who can help parents make sure their children are as safe and secure as possible every time they get in their vehicle.”

During Child Passenger Safety Week, certified safety technicians will be offering free car seat inspections statewide, further providing parents and caregivers an opportunity to better understand which car seat is appropriate for their children and how to install it correctly. There will be a car seat checkpoint executed by certified technicians at Fresh Market’s Murray store located at 5632 900 E on Friday, September 11^th, 2015 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Visit clickitutah.org for a list of events throughout Utah or to find a car seat inspection station near you.

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