[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 19 (Thursday, February 13, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E280]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           INTRODUCTION OF THE CHILD PASSENGER PROTECTION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CONSTANCE A. MORELLA

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 13, 1997

  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, today I am reintroducing the Child 
Passenger Protection Act which would prevent injuries to children in 
motor vehicles and ultimately save lives through improved child 
passenger education safety programs. This bill would provide grants to 
experienced child passenger safety organizations to carry out effective 
child restraint education programs.
  With more than 50 different kinds of child restraint designs and 
numerous seat belt configurations, putting children in properly-used 
safety seats can be a complex process. As a result, over half of 
parents who are conscientious and careful enough to use child 
restraints are unaware that they have made installation errors, putting 
their young children at risk.
  So many combinations of seats and car models exist that parents 
cannot easily figure out what is safe. A seat that works well in one 
car may not work well in another. Consequently, too many children 
riding in child restraint seats are at risk.
  I have been working on initiatives to educate families across the 
country about the safety seat incompatibility problem. I have been 
working with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration 
(NHTSA) in getting the word out about the proper installation of safety 
seats to parents, grandparents, and anyone who transports a young 
child. One of my goals is to provide NHTSA with enough money to fully 
carry out its child passenger safety program.
  I also have been working with the D.A.N.A. (Drivers' Appeal for 
National Awareness) foundation and its founder, Mr. Joseph Colella. 
D.A.N.A. was ``established in memory of Dana Hutchinson, age 3, who 
died in an automobile accident while secured in a child safety seat.''
  It was a rainy day in the fall of 1994 when Dana's mother strapped 
her into her child-safety seat for a trip to her grandmother's house. 
As always, Dana's father checked to make sure that the seat was held 
tightly, sure that he was doing everything possible to keep his little 
girl safe.
  Dana's mother was driving; the roads were slick and slippery. Their 
car collided with a pick-up truck. Dana's car seat pitched forward and 
her head struck the dashboard. The police report stated an opinion that 
her child safety restraint was improperly secured.
  Dana's father, looking for an answer, called his local dealership and 
was told that everything he did was correct. Then he looked in his 
owner's manual. After pages of information he found the answer: the 
seatbelt system in their car was incompatible with their child safety 
seat.
  Joe Colella is Dana's uncle, and it is through his tireless work and 
the establishment of the D.A.N.A. foundation that efforts are being 
made to alert the public about the compatibility and misuse problems 
that exist between child restraints and vehicle seat belt systems.
  I am pleased to introduce the Child Passenger Protection Act, which I 
call ``Dana's bill,'' and I am committed to continue working with Joe 
Colella and with NHTSA to encourage parents to properly use child 
restraints to protect our Nation's children.

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