Title
WHEREAS, traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for children of every age from 1 to 14 years old; and,
WHEREAS, properly installed child safety seats are 71% effective for reducing fatalities in infants, 54% effective for reducing fatalities in toddlers, and reduce the need for hospitalization by 69%; and,
WHEREAS, according to the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code, all children from birth to age four (4) must be secured in an approved child safety seat anywhere in the vehicle, and all children from age four (4) to age eight (8) must be secured in a seat belt system and an approved booster seat anywhere in the vehicle, and all children from age eight (8) to age eighteen (18) must be secured in a seat belt system anywhere in the vehicle; and,
WHEREAS, with so many different combinations of child safety seats, safety belt systems and vehicles on the road today, it is very difficult to properly install child safety seats, and child safety seat inspections show that 94% of children riding in child safety seats are improperly restrained; and,
WHEREAS, parents should have their child safety seats inspected by a certified Child Passenger Safety Technician; and,
WHEREAS, the Team Educators for CHild Safety (TECHS) is comprised of many agencies within Allegheny County and was established to reduce childhood injury and death from motor vehicle crashes through education, research and child safety seat inspections; and,
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh Emergency Medical Services is sponsoring a Pre-Valentine's Day Child Safety Seat Inspection on Thursday, February 8th to promote the 2007 Pennsylvania Statewide Theme "Don't Miss A Step" during National Child Passenger Safety Week; and,
WHEREAS, the following agencies are supporting this and additional Child Safety Seat Inspections during 2007, which include the City of Pittsburgh Police, AAA East Central, Allegheny County District Attorney, Allegheny County Police, Safe Kids Allegheny County, Baldwin Borough Police, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Dormont Police, Duquesne University Police, Guardian Angel EMS, Magee-Womens Hospital, McCandless/Franklin Park Ambulance Authority, Medical Rescue Team South, Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, Moon Township Police, Mount Lebanon Police & Fire, North Versailles Police, Oakmont Police, Pennsylvania American Academy of Pediatrics, Pennsylvania SIDS Alliance, Richland EMS, Ross West View EMSA, Saint Margaret Foundation, Salud Para Ninos, State Farm Insurance Company, Tri-Community South EMS, UPMC Health System and Pre-Hospital Care, West Deer EMS & Police, West Penn/Allegheny Health System and Woodland Hills EMS.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby proclaim the week of February 11-17, 2007 as Child Passenger Safety Week, and calls upon all the residents to join with us in supporting the efforts and activities of the Team Educators for CHild Safety (TECHS) to prevent childhood injury and death due to motor vehicle crashes.