Outreach To Diverse Populations

Give Kids a Head Start
Meharry Medical College pilot-tested its occupant protection project with the Head Start Program in Nashville, TN. The purpose of the project is to measure the effectiveness of an occupant protection educational intervention designed for parents of Head Start children. The educational intervention includes workshops on the proper use of child passenger and adult occupant restraints. Based on the success of the pilot program, Meharry plans to expand the project nationally with the National Head Start Association.

Continued Council Support for BUA
At its national convention, the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) passed a resolution supporting the Buckle Up America and Impaired Driving Prevention campaigns. The resolution asked all NCNW sections and chapters of its national affiliates to become involved in safety belt and child safety seat activities in their local communities. After attending the Buckle Up workshop during the convention, representatives from California, New Jersey, Mississippi, and other affiliates expressed interest in working with NHTSA to improve safety belt and child safety seat use within the African American community.

BUA at the Local Level
The Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (AKA) received a $50,000 grant to continue the promotion of safety belt use in the African American community. The sorority will use most of the grant monies to provide $200 mini-grants to its 200 chapters. The purpose of the mini-grants is to generate enthusiasm and creativity in customizing BUA campaign materials and activities for local community outreach programs.

Strap It On!
Black Entertainment Television (BET) and Jack & Jill of America (JJA), with support from NHTSA, conducted a series of high school and college traffic safety forums across the country. The forums were aired live on BET’s Teen Summit program before an estimated 6 million teen viewers. BET’s celebrity talk show hosts, along with youth leaders, facilitated the forums, which included special panels of experts from the fields of law enforcement and emergency medicine. The forums were taped and an educational video, titled Strap It On, was developed.

Community Coalitions for BUA
The National Conference of Black Mayors (NCBM), with support from NHTSA, launched a new initiative—the Community Involvement Project to Increase Safety Belt Use in High-Risk Populations. The purpose of the initiative is to develop community coalitions that will reach high-risk populations with effective measures to increase safety belt use. The initiative was implemented through the provision of mini-grants to local organizations in selected cities.

More Support for CPS
The National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) became a new BUA partner in 2002. To support its emphasis on young children, it implemented a community-based Child Passenger Safety Training Initiative. The initiative provided training and awareness activities on occupant protection to daycare providers, elementary school educators, physicians, and parents in 23 States, as part of November’s Buckle Up America mobilization.

A Habit for Life
Jack & Jill of America (JJA) unveiled its new national safety belt campaign, A Habit For Life, to help increase child seat and safety belt use rates among African American families. To promote the campaign, JJA provided mini-grants to 237 chapters in 37 States. Chapter members promoted BUA messages at daycare centers, beauty salons, car washes, and other non-traditional venues frequented by African American families with small children and teens. These activities took place during the November ABC mobilization.

Outreach to Rural Populations
The National Rural Health Association continued its support for BUA through its “Partners for Rural Traffic Safety” initiative. The association also published an article and photo from one of its occupant protection project activities in the May issue of the Minnesota Rural Health Association’s newsletter.