NEWS RELEASE

Media Contact:
Renee Beauregard 303-400-3456
Ken Scott 713-682-1382, pager 1(800) 901-4418

Consumers United Association Invites Consumers to
Free Car Seat Safety Checkpoint Event

Denver, CO – September 13, 2001 – All parents should understand the need for proper car safety restraints for their children, but what they may not know is that the car seat or seat belt they are using could be improperly installed or worn improperly. Consumers United Association, the Colorado Children’s Automobile Safety Association and Babies R US have teamed up to sponsor a car seat safety checkpoint event September 29 at the Babies R Us location at 9330 Sheridan in Westminster from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00p.m. Certified child passenger safety technicians from The Colorado Children’s Automobile Safety Association will be on hand to evaluate child car seats at the free event.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that properly installed child car seats reduce the risk of death in an automobile accident by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers. According to the most recent data available from NHTSA, the economic impact of motor vehicle accidents in the state of Colorado for one year was $1.8 billion or $506 per capita. The costs include property damage, medical, legal, insurance and others. Colorado law requires children under the age of 4 and 40 pounds to ride in car seats and children ages 4 through 15 to be properly restrained in car seats, booster seats or seat belts.

CUA encourages consumers in the market for a child car seat to do their homework and purchase a quality seat and make sure the seat is properly installed. To help, CUA lists these recommendations for child car seats provided by NHSTA:

• All Children age 12 and under should ride properly restrained in the back seat!
• Never place a child safety seat in the front seat where a front mounted passenger air bag is present.
• Always read the child seat use and installation instruction manual.
• Read your vehicle owner’s manual seat belt and child seat installation section.

“Consumers should be aware that proper installation is very important for a car seat to properly protect your child. Even the most expensive car seat, when improperly installed, can contribute to unnecessary and costly injuries, “ says Renee Rupe, Executive Director of Consumers United Association. “CUA encourages consumers to make sure their car seats are properly installed to help save lives and to avoid the unwanted costs and trauma of injuries.”

Consumers United Association (CUA) is a nonprofit consumer advocacy association serving consumers in Colorado. CUA is an association made up of people and corporations who are dedicated to educating consumers on financial issues, which impact their personal lives. CUA offers services and resources to aid consumers in the resolution of consumer problems and provide a united voice for consumers in the legislative arena. For more information visit www.cuacolorado.org.