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About Safe Kids San DiegoDid you know that unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for children under the age of 14? Each year, unintentional injuries cost every San Diegan $100. The majority of these injuries are predictable and preventable occurrences. To reduce these numbers San Diego Safe Kids was formed. The Coalition is a community collaborative comprised of agency representatives and individuals united in their efforts to make San Diego County a safer place for Children. Coalition activities range from conducting child safety seat check ups, to conducting drowning prevention campaign and inspecting community playgrounds for possible hazards. Your participation is always welcomed in helping with this important mission. For more information regarding the Safe Kids Coalition, please contact The Safe Kids Coalition Coordinator at 858-576-1700 ext. 3547.
Safety Seat Check Up Program and CalendarMost people think they are using their car seat correctly, but trained checkers usually find an average of 3 – 5 mistakes per seat that could possibly endanger the very lives they were meant to protect. Child Safety Seat Checkups give parents an opportunity to receive instruction on how their children can get the BEST protection in the car.At the inspections, a team of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration trained child passenger safety technicians will inspect your child safety seat in your vehicle to ensure correct installation. If possible, please bring your safety seat instruction booklet and vehicle owner’s manual to the checkup. Plan to arrive early to a public checkup event and be prepared for a wait. Some vehicles and situations take more time. Custom safety seat checks are very thorough, and trained checker teams require about 30–45 minutes or more per seat. However, it’s worth the wait to ensure that your child is safe! Injury Data AssessmentAbout every other year, the San Diego Safe Kids Coalition produces “Childhood Unintentional Injuries in San Diego County: A Report to the Community.” It is hoped that the report will give people a better understanding of childhood unintentional injuries and what actions can be taken to help reduce injury incidents. The data provides important information on the major mechanisms of injury in San Diego County and can assist community groups in the development of prevention strategies.Our surveillance data is limited, however, as it only captures information on the most severely injured children through prehospital (paramedic) data, Trauma Registry data, and Medical Examiner data. The data cannot represent a child who falls on the playground at school and is taken to the nurse’s office and is then seen by a pediatrician. Nor can it represent a child injured in a soccer game and taken directly to an emergency room by a parent. This data does give us an idea of the trends, and we must keep in mind that they are only a small piece of the overall unintentional injury picture. To request a copy of the latest report on CD-ROM, please contact the Safe Kids Coordinator at 858-576-1700 ext. 3547. |
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