National SAFE KIDS Week 2005
May 2nd, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENational SAFE KIDS Week 2005: "Follow the Leader, Safety Starts with You"
MOBILE SAFE KIDS TO HIGHLIGHT IMPORTANCE OF ADULT ROLE MODELS IN CHILDHOOD INJURY PREVENTION DURING NATIONAL SAFE KIDS WEEK
To celebrate National SAFE KIDS Week 2005 (April 30-May 7), MOBILE SAFE KIDS will host a press briefing Tuesday, May 3, 2005, 10 a.m. at Skidmoor Park located at Norton Ave. and Howze St., Saraland, Alabama. This briefing will share the findings from a new study on the importance of adult role modeling in childhood injury prevention, released by the National SAFE KIDS Campaign and Johnson & Johnson. Local Safety Experts, representatives from State, County, and local Law Enforcement, EMS, Fire Rescue and Safety organizations will be available to answer questions.
Adult role modeling has proven an important factor in reducing the number of preventable childhood injuries, which are the number one killer of kids. For instance, 67 percent of children riding bikes who are accompanied by a helmet-wearing adult wear helmets, as opposed to only 50 percent of children accompanied by non-helmeted adults. Parents and caregivers need to demonstrate safe behavior. Through public awareness activities like NATIONAL SAFE KIDS WEEK, MOBILE SAFE KIDS seeks to educate parents and caregivers about potential risks to children and adults' role in preventing injuries.
As part of the nationwide effort to keep kids safe, SAFE KIDS holds safety events throughout the year. For more information on the research report, please contact the National SAFE Kids Campaign communications department at (202) 662-0600 or visit www.safekids.org. For more information about local efforts contact Ben Wilson, SAFE KIDS Coalition Coordinator at (251) 690-8138 or bwilson@mobilecountyhealth.org.
Mobile Safe Kids is a part of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, the first and only national nonprofit organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury -the number one killer of children ages 14 and under. More than 300 state and local SAFE KIDS coalitions in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico make up the Campaign.