Cleveland — Over the river and through the woods…that trip to Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving dinner can mean snow, ice, wet roads, and lots of traffic. As the holiday travel season approaches and winter kicks into full gear, it is more important than ever for parents to think about how they are transporting their littlest family members. As cold, wet weather forces families indoors, it is also a perfect time for parents and children to visit The Children’s Museum of Cleveland (CMC) and learn about staying safe in and around cars in a brand new interactive transportation safety exhibit to be unveiled in a ceremony at The Children’s Museum of Cleveland at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, November 20.
“Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death and injury for children over the age of one,” notes Kathryn Wesolowski, Manager of the Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital Injury Prevention Center. “Being restrained in a vehicle—with car seats for infants and toddlers, booster seats for other young children, or seat belts for older children and teens—is the best means of reducing risk of injury, yet only 1 in 3 children treated in Ohio trauma centers for injuries sustained in motor vehicle crashes is restrained.”
The exhibit was conceived and developed through a collaborative effort of CMC and the Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital Injury Prevention Center, with the generous support of Kohl’s Cares for Kids. The exhibit highlights motor vehicle safety with an array of activities for children and their caregivers. The walls of the exhibit feature hands-on, interactive stations that educate children and their parents about topics like motor vehicle safety, pedestrian safety, and bike safety in a small, neighborhood-like setting that creates opportunities for discussion between parents and children. The exhibit will be laid out like a crossroads, with a working traffic signal, a child-sized car, and a walk/don’t walk sign that will enable children and their caregivers to practice safe travel habits together.
The brief ceremony will feature remarks by Michael Anderson, MD, a Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital physician, who will speak about the risks of kids and cars and offer some tips for keeping children safe as passengers and pedestrians during this holiday season. Dr. Anderson, injury prevention experts from Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, representatives from Kohl’s, CMC and children and parents will be available for interviews.
The unveiling of the new exhibit also will include a check presentation in support of Rainbow’s Safe Rides for All Kids occupant protection program and the cost of the new exhibit. “Kohl’s introduced the Kohl’s Cares for Kids" program to promote children’s health and educational opportunities, and is committed to playing an active role in the communities we serve,” said Julie Gardner, senior vice president and chief brand officer of Kohl’s Department Stores. “We’re proud of the partnerships we’ve created with children’s hospitals and community centers around the country and are excited to join Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital and CMC in this endeavor.”
Jeff Saxon, President and Executive Director of CMC said “It’s a pleasure to work with such talented and enlightened partners in order to provide a hands-on learning opportunity for young children and families in this important area of transportation safety.”
Join us as we set the stage for the holiday travel season by highlighting fun and creative ways to aid caregivers in making informed choices about how their children travel and help children to learn and role play some fundamentals of safe travel as pedestrians or motor vehicle occupants.