U.S. Virgin Islands – The Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD)/Office of Highway Safety (VIOHS) sent four local Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPSTs) to the world’s largest convening educating car seat advocates from public health, fire, and EMS, law enforcement, manufacturers, hospitals, researchers, engineers, advocates, and local/state/national departments of transportation. The Kidz In Motion Conference was held in Wilmington, North Carolina, in August.
The conference provided groundbreaking best practice strategies and technological advancements that improve restraint use and crash outcomes for children transported in vehicles. “This was an excellent opportunity for our team to learn strategies and techniques that increase CPS awareness, compliance and safe restraint use,” shared Occupant Protection Program Manager, Denise Gomes. “The conference exposes our local team to strategies used in similar districts and provides valuable networking opportunities. Our goal is to improve CPS services offered locally while improving crash outcomes for our youngest passengers.” Territorial participants represented the VI Departments of Police and Human Services, VI Fire and Emergency Medical Service, and Early Head Start. In the territory, car seats and booster seats are required for child passengers under age 8 or shorter than 4’9” tall.
For more information on keeping child passengers safe or to schedule a car seat safety inspection, contact the Virgin Islands Office of Highway Safety through VIOHS Director Daphne O’Neal at daphne.oneal@vipd.vi.gov, or Occupant Protection Program Manager, Denise Gomes, at denise.gomes@vipd.vi.gov, or via telephone at (340) 712-6073.
