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Thanks to three dedicated valet parking staff members, BWH has begun a child passenger safety program to better educate new parents as they prepare to take their newborn on his or her first road trip. Valet staff are now able to formally educate the couple on the process of properly installing their child restraint systems and explain other key safety issues.
To further improve the current effort to ensure a safe ride home for BWH’s youngest patients, Bernard Otieno, training manager; Antonio Henriquez, valet parking supervisor; and Don Covey, customer service supervisor, all became certified child passenger safety technicians (CPSTs) by completing a course offered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The course, which details passenger safety laws, types of child safety seats, problems with car child safety seats and other factors that affect child safety in a vehicle, is part of NHTSA’s national initiative to improve child safety. Participants are required to complete 32 hours of classroom time and eight hours of practical time.
“By implementing this new program, BWH is able to simultaneously provide a helpful local service to new parents while moving forward a national initiative,” said Robert Chicarello, assistant director, BWH Security and Parking, who explained that other valet parking staff are planning to complete the CPST course in the near future.
NHTSA aims to reduce child deaths and injuries resulting from motor vehicles accidents. Statistics reveal in 2001, an average of six children, ages 14 and under,were killed and 732 were injured every day as a result of car crashes.
For more information on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov