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2020 New NHTSA Events ... During 2020, NHTSA has designated the entire month of October as Pedestrian Safety Month, moved Heatstroke Awareness Day from July 31 to May 1, and added Vehicle Safety Recall Awareness Week (March 2-6). Follow these links to see NHTSA's newly released 2020 Events and Communications Calendars.
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The Thanksgiving holiday weekend is the deadliest on our roadways due in part to events like "Blackout Wednesday" and "Danksgiving" which promote heavy use of alcohol and marijuana. You will find free artwork from NHTSA here; or you may want to share these hashtags on social media: #BoycottBlackoutWednesday and #DitchDanksgiving.
Share the message of getting home safely with our risky driving holiday bookmarks. Email Jamie for an estimate.
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The "Best Car Seats and Booster Seats for Kids" according to New York Magazine ... Based on feedback from experts and parents, NY Magazine offered recommendations for car-seats that would fit a variety of vehicles, plus make installations smoother and safer.
Is there a way kids can ride safely in the bed of a pickup truck? Apparently so, with seats from BedRyder (which is now defunct). Read more here. See the video that went viral.
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Who walked on Walk to School Day? This year, 4,639 schools registered their Walk to School events held earlier this month. The number is down from last year's high of 5,612 registered events. You can view historical data for your state's Walk and Bike to School events here.
I'm Safe! offers a full line-up of reflectives and educational materials to encourage students to walk and ride safely. See more here.
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Should an alarm sound when rear seat passengers do not wear their seat belts? NHTSA is seeking public comment on a proposed regulation (Docket No. NHTSA-2019-0093) that would require a rear seat belt warning system. Seat belt use in rear seats has been consistently lower than the use in front seats. You can read about the proposed regulation here, and also submit your comments.
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More teens are getting their driver's licences before age 18 ... According to a survey conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 41% of young adults ages 18-24 were licensed "at or before age 16, and 60% before age 18." This represents an 11% increase since 2012. Read more here.
To compare the graduated driver's license laws in your state with those of other states, click here. For materials to reach teen drivers that can be customized with your messaging, click here.
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National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) finds wide variance in fire death rates by state ... By analyzing death certificate data, the NFPA found that the fire death rate per million was lower in 2013–2017 than in 1981–1985 across all 50 states. The data also showed a 2 percent increase in fire deaths nationally from 2008–2012 compared to 2013–2017. Higher fire death rates correlated with larger percentages of people who have a disability, have incomes below the poverty line, are smokers, who live in rural areas; and who are "either African American or Black, or are Native American or Alaskan Native." Read the report here.
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Vaping-related deaths and lung injuries are on the rise ... At least 17 people have died and over 800 have been hospitalized due to vaping-related illnesses, with no single explanation. Scientific American describes the hunt for a cause. Is it Vitamin E, black market pods, THC lacing, all of the above, or something completely different?
An additional danger that comes from liquids that smell like candy and pods that appear edible: they appeal to small children.
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Winter is coming (and in some places, it's here)... which means it's time to prepare our vehicles, homes and clocks (daylight savings ends November 3rd). The CDC offers a comprehensive list of preparations that people should take to prepare for winter emergencies, travel and general outdoor precautions.
Do you need materials for winter safety? Let us know!
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To prevent furniture tip-over injuries and more, Ikea launches "Safer Homes" initiative ... Eight children have died since 1989 when Ikea furniture fell on them, leading to Ikea's recall of 29 million dressers. Now the company is investing in a "Safer Homes" initiative. "The goal of the initiative is to make homes safer for families and children with a new mobile app and in-store workshops, in addition to ongoing Secure It! awareness campaigns and co-worker training." Read more here. |
