CHILD SAFETY SEATS ADDED TO AREA TAXIS

Taxis in Cape Girardeau will be a little safer for some young passengers this week when the Cape Girardeau Safe Communities Program donates 10 child safety seats to a local company.

Sherry Galnore, Safe Communities Coordinator, said the organization is donating the seats to Kelly Transportation so the company's customers can benefit. The donation also helps promote child passenger safety.

Missouri law presently requires that any child under the age of four must travel in a passenger restraint system. However, public carriers for hire, such are cab companies, are not required to use or supply the child safety seats.

Safe Communities will not only donate the seats, but will train Kelly Transportation employees on the proper installation and use of the seats.

The donation is part of National Child Passenger Safety Week, which ends Saturday. This year's theme is, "Raising a Safer Community: Patterns for Life."

"Motor vehicle injury is one of the leading killers of children more than one year of age. Parents can help establish safe patterns of behavior by making sure that children age 12 and under always ride buckled up or in properly installed child safety seats in the back seat," Galnore said.

According to figures from the Missouri Division of Highway Safety, an unrestrained baby can hit the dashboard or windshield of a vehicle with the force of 400 pounds when the car has a collision or suddenly stops at 20 mph.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that in 1996, about 560 deaths of children, ages five and under, could have been prevented with the use of child safety seats.

Galnore also reminded parents that rear-facing child seats should never be placed in the front seat of a motor vehicle that is equipped with a passenger air bag.

The Cape Girardeau Area Safe Kids Coalition will donate 20 child safety seats to the local Missouri Easter Seals Society's Loan-A-Seat Program. The loaner program has provided seats to parents through local donations since 1984.

In addition to emphasizing child safety seats, Safe Communities is using this year's theme to extend its focus beyond safety seats and seatbelts to include good safety habits for young pedestrians and bicyclists.

"Whether as occupants in motor vehicles, pedestrians or bicyclists, too many children are seriously injured or killed in preventable crashes," Galnore said.

Among the many things which Safe Communities will promote is the use of helmets by bicyclists, which studies have shown to be the best protection against serious head injury.

Currently, 15 states have enacted bicycle helmet use laws.

A bicycle helmet law bill was introduced last year in the Missouri House by Rep. Bill Boucher, D-Kansas City, but never reached the floor for a vote. The law would have required all bicyclists 18 years or younger to wear a safety helmet.

Galnore also said pedestrian safety is important. "Not all injuries happen inside vehicles. Nearly one-third of all children between the ages of five and nine years who are killed in motor vehicle crashes are pedestrians," she said.