Unfortunately research on child passenger safety and disparities has demonstrated that Hispanic and black children are 10 times less likely to be properly restrained in a motor vehicle. In 2004, Cincinnati Children’s and Toyota® teamed up to create Buckle Up for Life, which is a community and faith-based initiative to reduce this epidemic. Buckle Up for Life is a community-based car passenger safety education program that educates the entire family and provides free child car seats to families in need. To deliver the education in the most effective manner, the program works in close collaboration with local churches. Buckle Up for Life partners spend six weeks working with each church, teaching the children, teens and adults about car passenger safety, ultimately leading to a huge car seat event! Boston Children’s Hospital was fortunate to have become a partner site in the summer of 2014 and to date has provided approximately 300 free car seats. We are expanding our range west of Boston this spring to partner with underserved communities in Massachusetts that we have identified.
