Traffic Tech #206: National Child Safety Seat Distribution Program Evaluation Assesses Training |
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NATIONAL CHILD SAFETY SEAT DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM EVALUATION ASSESSES TRAINING
On March 7, 1995, under an agreement with the U.S. Department of Transportation, General Motors Corporation (GM) agreed to provide funds over a five year period to support highway safety research and programs to prevent motor vehicle deaths and injuries. The National Child Safety Seat (NCSS) Distribution Program was one of the programs supported under this agreement. During the first three years of the settlement agreement, GM expended $8 million for the purchase and distribution of child safety seats to low income families and children with special needs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. GM provided non-profit organizations that met certain criteria with funding to provide convertible, infant, booster, and special needs seats to families who could not otherwise obtain a seat.
Preusser Research Group, Inc. of Trumbull, Connecticut conducted an administrative evaluation of this national distribution program for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to determine how program requirements were met, and, in particular, to what extent training was provided in how to install safety seats properly. Without this training, there is little assurance that a child will receive the maximum protection from a safety seat.
The contractor collected information from national and a random proportional sample (243) of local programs that participated in the second distribution phase (of four), during which 48,373 seats were delivered. Case studies at 14 locations provided in-depth information about the organizations, staff and training, contact with recipients, activities, and administration.
Over half (55 percent) of the facilities were medically related, like hospitals or community health centers. Less than half (46 percent) had staff trained prior to the NCSS program, but this figure rose to 80 percent by the time they distributed seats. Nearly all (95 percent) facilities assessed recipient need before giving out a seat, and most (91 percent) trained all of their recipients. Almost two thirds (61 percent) gave out all of their seats in four months or less; 15 percent took over four months; and 24 percent had seats left to give.
Medical facilities were more likely to have had experience with distribution programs and at least one trained staff member prior to NCSS. Non-medical facilities were offered and received training, so that by the time of the second phase, the proportion of facilities with a trained staff member was nearly equal to medical facilities.
Training Provided
On average, the sites spent between 30 to 45 minutes per conventional seat recipient; 45 to 50 minutes per special needs recipient. In some cases, doctors or therapists were called upon to fit special needs children into their new safety seats. Training most often included demonstrations of safe use (87%), hands on training (85%), use of videos (83%) and lectures (82%), and more often than not, installation of the seat into the recipient's vehicle (73%). Some of the problems encountered were that the sites were lacking the training materials (seat parts & accessories, 34%), or staff trainers (22%), there were deficiencies with their facilities (no parking lot, small size, or inconvenient location, 22%), and they had installation problems (age or condition of vehicles, 27%).
Free Child Safety Seats
Most of the seats were given to recipients for permanent ownership, but some of the 243 sites in the study charged a fee or gave the seats as loaners.
Success in Different Organizations
Programs at medical related facilities appeared to work best because they were more likely to have trained staff and related programs in place already and were also more likely to find qualified recipients in-house. Non-medical facilities worked best if they had the ability to identify low income families, were willing to accept staff training, and were dedicated to give recipient training.
Many appreciated the program's focus on the need for safety seats (118); emphasis on staff and recipient training (100); formation of new networks with public and other organizations (62); the quality of the safety seats (23); and the useful program materials (18). Dissatisfaction included: not enough seats to fill need (63); unhappy with the type of seats they received (25); safety seats arrived with an unknown delivery date (18); lacked secure space for seat storage (16); and sources of training were hard to conveniently obtain (13).
HOW TO ORDER
For a copy of National Child Safety Seat Distribution Program Evaluation, (28 pgs plus appendices), write to the Office of Research and Traffic Records, NHTSA, NTS-31, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20590, or send a fax to (202) 366-7096. Linda Cosgrove, Ph.D. was the contract manager.
Excerpts from the case study section of the report
Easter Seal Rehabilitation Center of San Antonio
The San Antonio Easter Seal Rehabilitation Center was interested in the NCSS program because of the special needs among the 160 families they serve. Most of the children can not sit normally in a vehicle, and the right car seats cost much more than their families can afford. They trained families one at a time. First, recipients were shown the video, and an instructor reinforced the key points. A therapist fitted the seat to the child, if needed. Then the therapist installed the seat and coached the recipient as they practiced installing it. Two members of the center had attended an Easter Seal training in Albuquerque and they in turn trained 15 others. Storage of the seats was a challenge for this organization.
The Program Director told the story of a crash involving a 30-month old child with severe disabilities. The crash happened the day after the mother had the seat installed -- the first day in the child's life that he had any kind of protection. Their car was hit broadside near the rear seat. The child was un-injured, and his mother believes the seat saved her child's life.
Denver Fire Department
The Denver Fire Department (DFD) has worked in a Buckle Up program as part of Patterns for Life for several years. DFD conducts child safety seat education at checkpoints and has worked with the CO Department of Transportation, Denver Social Services, and others. The Program Director received occupant protection training before NCSS and had attended Buckle Up classes and a five day course put on by NHTSA in Virginia. Roving Lieutenants, trained in occupant protection, move from station to station to train firehouse staff. They find recipients at safety seat checkpoints, held in supermarket and department store parking lots. If someone comes in and qualifies for a seat, one will be provided to them. Training takes about one hour. First the recipients watch a 15 minute video. Then, they move to the vehicle for hands on training and they are given safety seat information packets. Television Channel Seven in Denver began a statewide program to provide seats bought with donations from businesses and individuals.
U.S. Department
of Transportation
National Highway
Traffic Safety
Administration
400 Seventh Street, S.W. NTS-31
Washington, DC 20590
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Linda Cosgrove, Ph.D., Editor, Evaluation Staff
Traffic Safety Programs
(202) 366-2759, fax (202) 366-7096
mailto:lcosgrove@nhtsa.dot.gov