Events take place across state for Child Passenger Safety Week, Feb. 12-18

Ants, beetles and crickets are the stars of a new traffic safety campaign aimed at preschoolers and elementary-age children, encouraging them to ride in booster seats. The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) today officially launched the child-centered campaign as part of national Child Passenger Safety Week.

At Cumberland Elementary School in Lansing, OHSP officials showed students the new coloring book and stickers featuring the "Booster Bugs"—Auto Ant, Booster Beetle and Click-It the Cricket. In the short coloring book story, the bugs find themselves in the oversized world of humans. Just as the things they encounter are too big for them, they point out how adult-sized safety belts are too big for young children.

The event was one of several taking place across Michigan to promote child safety seat and booster seat use during National Child Passenger Safety Week, Feb. 12-18.

An observation survey conducted during July 2004 showed more than 90 percent of Michigan children who should be in booster seats are not, according to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

"The Booster Bug materials were designed to appeal to children and teach them about how booster seats keep them safe," said Michael L. Prince, OHSP Division Director. "Booster seats are often a forgotten step in child passenger safety, and we’re always looking for ways to show children and adults how important they are."

The Central Michigan University Educational Materials Center developed the coloring book, stickers and a Click-It the Cricket costume through a grant from OHSP. The Booster Bug materials will be sent to preschools and elementary schools throughout the state starting in February.

Booster seats lift the child up so a safety belt fits correctly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends booster seats in the back seat for children from about age 4 and 40 pounds to at least age 8, unless the child is 4’9". Children ages 4-8 who use booster seats and safety belts are 59 percent less likely to be injured in a car crash than children who are restrained only by a safety belt, according to NHTSA.

NHTSA is emphasizing booster seat use on the national level. In partnership with the Ad Council, a public service announcement campaign that includes new television, radio, print, outdoor and online PSAs intends to educate parents that a booster seat is a life-saving transition to an adult safety belt.

To order OHSP’s new Booster Bug and other child passenger safety materials, please visit www.michigan.gov/ohsp and click on "Traffic Safety Materials." Materials are free of charge to Michigan residents.