By Richard Marino
The Community Wellness Council of the Bellmores and Merricks, the Nassau County Safe Kids Coalition of New York and Federal Express last week kicked off a national campaign to raise children's awareness of traffic dangers. The effort, which marks Children's Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Month, began with a news conference at Roland Chatterton Elementary School in Merrick on Thursday.
Gail Volk, the Wellness Council coordinator, said, "The Wellness Council's mission is mainly substance abuse prevention, but pedestrian injuries many times have been caused by substance abuse."
David Sills, Chatterton principal, noted how the elementary school is located on a main street, and students there must often walk to school by way of heavily trafficked roads."We really appreciate this opportunity to participate," he said. "We want it to be more than a month, but we're excited about what we all can do within this month."
Chattherton teachers have already started a traffic safety poster contest. Safety stickers were distributed to all Chatterton students. On Monday, October 23, Bellmore-Merrick Emergency Medical Services plans to stop off at the school with an ambulance; FedEx will supply its "FedEx Safety Truck"; and New York State Police will be on hand with emergency equipment.
In 1997, almost 830 children ages 14 and under died of pedestrian injuries. Of these, 675 were killed in motor vehicle-related crashes. In 1998, an estimated 20,000 children ages 14 and under suffered motor vehicle-related pedestrian injuries.
Rosemarie Ennis, Nassau County's director of the Safe Kids Coalition, said, "The coalition, throughout October, will be engaged in educational activities, parent-awareness programs and...PTA meetings with our trauma nurses. We hope to see a reduction in deaths and injuries to our children." Coordinating the trauma nurses is Julie Boffardi, R.N., public health nurse from the Nassau County Department of Health.
FedEx was well represented at the news conference with three of its associates. Nanette Malebranche, managing director for FedEx's Long Island District, said, "We have a very intense safety program at Federal Express, and we hope we can take some of that to help the Safe Kids Coalition."
The coalition recently sent letters to all Nassau and Suffolk County school superintendents, requesting that they set up traffic safety programs in conjunction with the non-profit organization. Ms. Ennis said she has received an enormous response from the schools. This month, the coalition plans to reach 1.4 million children in Nassau County alone with its safety message.
Not only students, but also parents of young children need to be aware of traffic safety, said officials. Toddlers ages 1 to 2 sustain the highest number of pedestrian injuries, primarily owing to their small size. More than half of all toddler pedestrian injuries occur when a vehicle is backing up.
The safety effort is not limited to the awareness of traffic safety. Coalition officials hope to achieve stricter enforcement of traffic laws, including stepped-up police efforts to apprehend hit-and-run drivers and drivers with suspended or revoked licenses.
Twenty-eight organizations througout Nassau County have joined with the coalition, including 11 hospitals. The program will culminate with a Safe Kids Walk Halloween Parade in communities throughout the area.
For more information or to take part in "Safe Kids," one should contact Rosemarie Ennis at the Department of Professional and Public Health Education at (516) 465-2500.
