Step inside the North Carolina State Fair and visitors will see a fun, interactive exhibit called Safety City located near Dorton Arena. Safety City brings together highway safety advocates and this year, Safe Kids NC is teaming up with the Governor’s Highway Safety Program (GHSP) and other agencies to bring awareness of the dangers of vehicle crashes.
"Traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages 3 through 19, primarily because of the improper use of child safety seats and seat belts,” said N.C. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, who oversees Safe Kids NC. “One of our main goals of Safe Kids NC is to save lives by ensuring children are riding in a car seat that is just right for their height and weight."
On Wednesday, Oct. 18, Commissioner Causey will join other safety partners to kick off the Safe Kids N.C. exhibit at a 10 a.m. media event at Safety City.
At the Safe Kids tent inside Safety City, parents and caregivers can have their child checked to ensure they are riding in a vehicle as safely as possible. With so many different child passenger safety seats on the market, parents can put their children in harm’s way, by just having them in the wrong seat or having that seat installed incorrectly.
Also on hand will be certified Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technicians to measure the child’s weight, height and age to determine the safest options available for each child. Brochures and information will be distributed to fairgoers as additional resources.
An estimated 80,000 people will visit Safety City during the State Fair which runs until Oct. 22. Each Safety City exhibit is designed to educate and engage visitors on a variety of safety topics and is staffed by employees and volunteers.
Other organizations involved in Safety City include GHSP, Vision Zero, Watch for Me NC, Be Rail Safe NC, Operation Lifesaver, Bike Safe NC, Forensic Test for Alcohol and the Initiative to Reduce Underage Drinking.
For more information on Safe Kids NC, contact Safe Kids NC Director Shannon Bullock at 919-218-3396 or Shannon.Bullock @ncdoi.gov.