Lora Hollingsworth, P.E. Chief Safety Officer
Occupant Protection & Child Passenger Services
Occupant Protection Program requires a combination of legislation
and use requirements, enforcement, communication, education, and
incentive strategies necessary to achieve significant, lasting
increases in seat belt and child safety seat usage. Programs
receiving grant funding in this priority area are focused three
major program related categories:
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Legislation, Regulation and Policy: Programs to enact and enforce occupant protection use laws, regulations, and policies to provide clear guidance to the public concerning motor vehicle occupant protection systems
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Communication Program: Programs that enlist the support of a variety of media, including mass media, to improve public awareness and knowledge and to support enforcement efforts to about seat belts, air bags, and child safety seats.
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Occupant Protection for Children Program: Programs to aid in the compliance with and enforcement of protection laws that require the correct restraint of all children, in all seating positions and in every vehicle
Includes safety belt use awareness, safety belt enforcement, special needs, teens, minority programs, and other education programs. This area also includes establishing or expanding child passenger safety inspection stations, child passenger safety awareness training, school bus safety, special needs training, and other child passenger safety programs.
Items eligible for funding under this category may include: educational materials, survey materials, variable message boards, child safety seats, inspection station supplies, trailers for use as mobile inspection stations, and public awareness materials.
All program areas funded with grant funds are required to have an evaluation method that will allow assessment of the funded program's level of success in reducing fatalities and injuries.
Occupant Protection/Child Passenger Resources: