NHTSA Announces $7.5 Million in Grants To 48 States For Education on Child Passenger Safety

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
August 18, 2003

NHTSA 38-03
Monday, August 18, 2003
Contact: Tim Hurd
Telephone: (202) 366-9550

U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today announced 55 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) grants totaling nearly $7.5 million to 48 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the four U.S. territories, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  The funds will help implement child passenger protection programs.

"President Bush and I are committed to safety as the top transportation priority. We have seen great progress in protecting our country's youngest children, whose safety this grant program addresses," Secretary Mineta said. "These grants will help further educate parents about the importance of use and the correct installation of child passenger restraints - both crucial to a child's safety should there be a crash." 

In 2002, fatalities for children ages 3 and younger declined by 5 percent and fatalities for children ages 4-7 declined by 12 percent from 2001.  According to NHTSA, despite this progress, too many children are improperly restrained.

"About four out of five children who are placed in child safety seats are improperly restrained.  Furthermore, adult safety belts do not adequately protect children ages 4 to 8 from injury in a crash.  Although booster seats are the best way to protect them, the vast majority of children in this age group do not ride in them," NHTSA Administrator Jeffrey W. Runge, M.D., said. "These grants will help states help parents transport their children safely."

The grants announced today are authorized under a framework created by Section 2003(b) of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). With these grants states may fund activities such as child safety seat checkpoints at safety events and during enforcement efforts; permanent fitting inspection stations; loaner programs; education and information outreach to rural, low-income and minority communities; education and training activities targeted to Native American tribes; education and training activities to reach children with special needs; educational outreach to elementary and secondary schools; promotion of child passenger training; and training and education for judges to promote enforcement.

The following list shows the amount provided to each state and other recipients.