News Details (Posted: February 19, 2008):

Passport to Safety

Full Description:

There were 23 children between the ages of 11 and 14 who died in automobile accidents in the Tampa Bay region in 2006. Most of these children's lives could have been saved if they were wearing seat belts.

Research shows this age group has the highest likelihood of injury or accident because they are less likely to wear a seat belt or sit in the back of an automobile. Safe Kids Buckle Up (SKBU) is working to change that. On Saturday, Feb. 23, Safe Kids Buckle Up is holding an event "Passport to Safety" featuring fun activities to educate and empower "tweens" to make smart choices about vehicle safety.

Free and open to the public, the event includes a series of activities, speakers, demonstrations, and interactive visual exhibits emphasizing vehicle safety. Blue Bell Creameries will be donating ice cream for those attending the event. Crash test dummies Vince and Larry will make a special appearance.

“Passport to Safety” runs from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the North Tampa Family Support and Resource Center, located at 1401A E. Fowler Ave. in Tampa.

Well known as an in industry leader in vehicle safety, Chevrolet is the sponsor of "Safe Kids Buckle Up." Chevrolet believes in making an important local contribution to keep "tweens" and young teens safe with this “Passport to Safety” event.

The event includes:

· Activities – Guests fill their passports by traveling to activity stations and learning about different aspects of vehicle safety. Test safety smarts with quizzes and learn more about safety before, during, and after a crash at the Chevy station.

Speakers – Laura Marchetti, of the Katie Marchetti Foundation, will speak about the importance of wearing a seat belt in a vehicle every time. Laura is the mother of Katie Marchetti, who was killed in an automobile accident in 2006. For more information on the Katie Marchetti Foundation visit katiesstory.com. Also speaking is Bevin Maynard, program coordinator for Safe Kids Tampa. She routinely educates youth in Tampa Bay on vehicle safety.

Demonstrations – SKBU programs “Spot the Tot” and “Preventing Trunk Entrapment” show that vehicle safety isn’t just limited to buckling up on the highway.

Exhibits – Vehicle safety posters created by members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay will be on display. Event guests can vote on their favorite poster and the winner will receive tickets to the February 29th Lightning game and Night of Seatbelt Safety cosponsored by the Katie Marchetti Foundation.

About Safe Kids Buckle Up:

Safe Kids Buckle Up (SKBU) is a Chevy-sponsored educational outreach program that teaches families about keeping children safe in and around vehicles. SKBU is part of Safe Kids Worldwide, the only international nonprofit organization dedicated solely to preventing unintentional childhood injury. Safe Kids Worldwide promotes changes in attitudes, behaviors, laws and the environment to prevent accidental injury to children. In the United States, Safe Kids Worldwide has contributed to a 45 percent reduction in the child fatality rate from accidental injury - saving an estimated 38,000 children's lives.