GM Continues to Expand Its Impact on Driver and Passenger Safety in China
2022-12-02
- Safe Kids Safe Ride program benefits a record number of cities and kindergartens
- Report on child safety seat awareness shared at global safety conference
SHANGHAI – General Motors and Safe Kids Worldwide (China) have continued to expand their Safe Kids Safe Ride program in China this year, extending education about the safety of children in and around vehicles to drivers and parents. With the theme of “Zero Crashes for All Always,” the program set a record by reaching out to more than 1,000 kindergartens in 75 cities nationwide – 67 for the first time – and benefiting more than 6.1 million people of all ages in the first 11 months.
In the ninth year of the program, GM and Safe Kids Worldwide also widely shared the Safe Kids Safe Ride program’s Survey Report on the Current Situation of Child Safety Seat Awareness and Regulation Improvement in Three Cities. The report was presented at the recent 14th World Conference on Injury Prevention & Safety Promotion in Australia.
“GM is committed to creating a safe travel environment for every vehicle user, young and old,” said Julian Blissett, GM executive vice president and president of GM China. “As the Safe Kids Safe Ride program enters its 10th year, we will seek new opportunities on our own and with new partners through new channels to benefit more children and their families. Passenger safety is a never-ending race that can never be compromised.”
Growing the Safe Kids Safe Ride Program’s Outreach
The Safe Kids Safe Ride program continued to expand its outreach and scope in 2022. The “Ride with the Bear” animated educational video conveys safety knowledge for children. In 2022, it was shown at Beijing Children’s Hospital and broadcast on CCTV News Channel’s “Medical Open Class | Child Injury Prevention Guide for Parents” in July.
GM and Safe Kids Worldwide also cooperated with the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau Traffic Police on the “Zero Crashes for All Always” parental safe driving awareness video, which calls attention to distractions, speeding and other driving behaviors that affect safety. Nearly 150 provincial and urban traffic safety organizations have shown the video on their official accounts.
In addition, 49 professional Child Passenger Safety Lecturers were trained and certified by the Safe Kids Safe Ride program this year. They are reaching out to communities and kindergartens to promote the use of child safety seats and support the sustainable development of safety education.
Surveying Child Safety Seat Usage
World Health Organization data shows that child restraint systems are highly effective in reducing injuries. However, only about 10% of children in China ride in child safety seats.[1] To carry out an evidence-based study and encourage their greater use, the Safe Kids Safe Ride program supported the Survey Report on the Current Situation of Child Safety Seat Awareness and Regulation Improvement in Three Cities.
Parents with children up to 6 years of age in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen were surveyed on child safety seat ownership and use. They were also queried about their awareness of child safety seat regulations and attitudes toward improving them.
Among the findings:
- 100% of respondents said they know about child safety seats and 79% said they use a child safety seat
- 50% of respondents expressed uncertainty about when to use a forward seat for their children
- 59% of respondents said they started putting their child in a child safety seat within 12 months of birth
- 53% of respondents who own a child safety seat said their child “always uses” a child safety seat when traveling in a vehicle
About 300 mainstream media across China cited the research data to promote child safety seats as well as encourage stricter legislation on their use. The report was shared at the 14th World Conference on Injury Prevention & Safety Promotion initiated by the World Health Organization.
“Ensuring a safe journey requires promoting both the use of child restraint systems and safe behaviors among child passengers themselves,” said Monica Cui, executive director of Safe Kids Worldwide (China). “With the expansion of the program’s concept, we have greatly expanded our outreach. Benefiting from the growing support of government and medical authorities, we are keeping more vehicle users safe.”
The Safe Kids Safe Ride program was launched in 2014. It has reached out to more than 6,100 kindergartens and children’s hospitals in 119 cities across the country, impacting more than 7 million children and their parents.
[1] Jinghua WEN: “China’s Child Safety Seat Usage Rate is Only 10%.” Xinhua News Agency, March 17, 2021
Safe Kids Worldwide® is a nonprofit organization working to help families and communities keep kids safe from injuries. Most people are surprised to learn preventable injuries are the #1 killer of kids in the United States. Throughout the world, almost one million children die of an injury each year, and almost every one of these tragedies is preventable. Safe Kids works with an extensive network of more than 400 coalitions in the United States and with partners in more than 30 countries to reduce traffic injuries, drownings, falls, burns, poisonings and more. Since 1988, the rate of unintentional injuries under 19 in the United States has declined by 60 percent. Safe Kids China has been promoting child safety activities and preventing unintentional child injuries through injury research, safety education and promotion of environmental and legislative activities since the start of its program in China in 1999. If you have ideas on how to join us, please visit www.safekidschina.org or www.safekidsworldwide.org.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is a global company focused on advancing an all-electric future that is inclusive and accessible to all. At the heart of this strategy is the Ultium battery platform, which will power everything from mass-market to high-performance vehicles. General Motors, its subsidiaries and its joint venture entities sell vehicles under the Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Baojun and Wuling brands. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety and security services, can be found at https://www.gm.com.
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