A county firefighter/EMT responded to a crash involving a Native child who survived because he was properly secured in his child safety seat. The mother reported that she received the seat from the tribe’s Native CARS project, and the project coordinator (who is a certified Child Passenger Safety Tech) had shown her how to install and use it correctly. The firefighter’s message to the tech was, “I routinely tell myself that if I make a difference in how one parent safely transports their child, then I’ve succeeded. You deserve a pat on the back and a hug from this kid when he’s older for this one.”
We designed the Native CARS Atlas as a straightforward easy-to-use online resource to guide Tribal community members or personnel (safety coordinators, health educators, law enforcement safety officers, and other community health representatives) interested in improving child passenger safety in their communities.
The Native CARS approach can be applied to many sectors within tribal communities, including:
- Schools
- Parent groups
- Caregivers
- Health care providers
- Public health programs
- Legal and law enforcement programs