Corazón de mi vida

Child Passenger Safety Initiative 

Authors 

Rebeca María Barrera, M.A.

Josefina F. Garza, M.A.

Bibi Lobo

Marisa Jimenez McCabe

Art Director 

Thelma Ortiz Muraida 

National Latino Children’s Institute 
Acknowledgments 

Corazón de mi vida is a Latino child passenger safety initiative of the National Latino Children’s Institute 

(NLCI). This effort is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and 

Nationwide Insurance. 

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 

Susan Gorcowski Gabriel J. Cano 

Robin Mayer Lori Miller 

Nationwide Insurance 

Tim Hoyt Marco Capalino Eric Troy 

Kathy Ricord Lorraine Brock Steve Rish 

Steve Johnston Barb Weaver Shelly Hoffman 

Pilot Teams 

NLCI’s programs are developed with the advice of 100 community organizations selected as winners of the 

La Promesa de un Futuro Brillante awards. Chosen for their exemplary work with Latino children and youth, 

these organizations have identified the best strategies for removing barriers and incorporating culture into 

NLCI’s programs. We are grateful to the following people and organizations for their assistance in developing 

Corazón de mi vida. 

Eva Wedholm, AVANCE, San Antonio, TX 

Lisa Ogelsby Rocha, AVANCE, Dallas, TX 

Raquel Oliva, AVANCE, McAllen, TX 

Celine Woznica, Child to Child, Alivio Medical Center, Chicago, IL 

Shari Schwartz, Focus on First Graders, El Paso, TX

Gerald Rivera, LARASA, Denver, CO 

Maggie Cervantes, Mariposa Program, Los Angeles, CA 

Adelina Fritz, Parent Child, Inc., San Antonio, TX 

Elsie Hunt, Plainfield Bilingual Day Care Center, Plainfield, NJ 

María Sáenz, RN, Spanish Language Parenting Education, Yakima, WA

Arturo Lopez, Texas Migrant Head Start, Laredo, TX 

Materials Review 

We also appreciate the help of the following organizations in the review of materials: 

The NHTSA National Outreach and Occupant Protection Divisions

National Safe Kids

Texas Department of Health Safe Rider Program

Texas Department of Transportation

Texas Migrant Council Head Start parents and staff

California Department of Health Services 

California Child Passenger Safety Materials Review Committee 

Special thanks to Veronica Nora Comstock, Ph.D., Rosalie Mendez Arguelles and Sarah Nawrocki, M.F.A.
Table of Contents 

Corazón de mi vida 1

Creating Safe Latino Communities 2

The Corazón de mi vida Kit 5

Connecting with the Community 7

Activity 1. Parent Pláticas 9

Activity 2. Safety Seat Clinic 12

Activity 3. Safety Fair 16

Activity 4. Car Seat Blessings 19

Working with the Media 21

Measuring Success 30

Resources 31

Corazón de mi vida

Corazón. For most Latinos this word evokes memories of their mother, grandmother or other family member lovingly calling 

them corazón. While the simple translation of 

the word is heart, the cultural meaning is more 

complex, with a deeper message: “You are the 

center of my life.” It is this concept that is the 

focus of Corazón de mi vida, a new initiative to 

inform Latino families, childcare providers and 

the community about child passenger safety. The 

model uses bilingual and culturally relevant educational materials and community outreach strategies. 

The messages for Latino families (loosely translated) are: 

“You are the center of my life and I love you so 

much, that I will 

. . . put you in a car seat.” 

. . . put you in the backseat.” 

. . . wear my own seat belt.” 

Corazón de mi vida builds on the strengths of 

the Latino family and the value they place on 

children. 

Why a new initiative? 

In the Latino community, motor vehicle crashes 

are the leading cause of death for children 

between five and fourteen years of age. Several 

studies have begun to document child passenger 

safety issues by ethnicity, race and sex. These 

studies indicate that Hispanics have lower rates 

of child safety seat and seat belt use than nonHispanic Whites. 

The reasons for these statistics are numerous, 

but the numbers are a chilling reminder that 

children are dying. However, while numerous 

campaigns about child passenger safety have 

been launched for the general population, very 

few have resonated with the Latino community. 

Most of the campaigns are translations, using 

images and messages that do not connect with 

the Latino community, while others use only 

Spanish language, completely leaving out those 

whose preferred language is English. Other 

campaigns are negative, using a “scolding” tone 

to try to get the point across. 

Corazón de mi vida was conceptualized and 

created with the understanding that to be 

successful, the initiative had to connect with the 

community by using images, messages and 

strategies that made sense to all Latinos in the 

United States—Mexican-American, Cuban, 

Puerto Rican, Salvadoran or others. Materials in 

the program are tied to an activity that connects 

to celebrations in the community. The activities 

invite Latino families to participate and to 

partner with others in keeping children safe. 

Everyone has a role to play—child care 

providers, medical practitioners, the clergy, 

business people, teachers, public servants, the 

media—in ensuring that children grow up safe. 

Only by involving the whole community and 

working together can a reduction in child passenger deaths become a reality. 

National Latino Children’s Institute 1 
Creating Safe Latino Communities 

Afamily is getting ready to go to the store. Each person has a job: the father has to find the keys, 

the mother gets the two youngest children ready—shoes, jackets, a favorite blanket for the 

baby. The eldest is in charge of putting the dog outside. 

The family piles into a pickup truck. The three-year-old sits in the middle, between her parents, while 

the oldest climbs in the bed of the truck. The mother takes the baby in her arms. He wiggles, trying to 

sit next to her. “Ay mi amor, sit on your Mami’s lap where you’ll be safe!” The father starts the truck 

and they drive to the store. 

This scene is played over and over again every 

day in different combinations across the country. 

Children ride unrestrained in laps or standing on 

the front or back seats. And they die. 

Why People Don’t Use Restraints 

In a study conducted by the Air Bag and Seat 

Belt Safety Campaign, three out of four drivers 

said they do not always place their children in a 

safety restraint. Of the 800 phone interviews 

conducted in November 1999, 71 percent of 

those respondents who drive with children under 

12 admitted to not having their young passengers 

buckled up and were aware that motor vehicle 

crashes are the leading cause of death to children. 

When asked why they do not use child safety 

seats or seat belts, Latino families provide a 

variety of reasons: 

“I’m just going to the store around the corner. 

I’m not going on the highway!” 

“He hates the car seat. He always screams and 

climbs out anyway.” 

“A friend of mine crashed when she was wearing a seat belt and it killed her.” 

“I’m a great driver. I’ve never been in an 

accident!” 

“I usually use a car seat, but I was in a hurry 

today.” 

“If I buckle my seatbelt, I’m inviting an accident.” 

“My husband refuses to use his seatbelt because 

he feels tied down.” 

The goal of the Corazón de mi vida initiative is 

to make buckling up a habit, one that builds on 

the parents’ love for their children, that invites 

them to become active partners in keeping their 

children safe and helping to create a safe community. 

Young Families 

The Latino population is younger and growing 

faster than any other population group in the 

United States. The median age for the Latino 

population is 26 years, while the median age for 

non-Hispanic Whites is 35 years and will 

increase to 38 years by 2020. This means that a 

greater proportion of the Latino community 

lives in young family households. In fact, Latino 

2 Corazón de mi vida 
children are now the second largest group of 

children in the United States. Eleven percent of 

the Latino population is under the age of five, 

and approximately 40 percent is under 19 years 

of age. 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Hispanic children has increased faster 

than any other racial or ethnic group, from 9 

percent of the child population in 1980 to 15 

percent in 1998. By 2020 the bureau projects 

that more than one in five children will be of 

Hispanic descent. This is due to higher fertility 

rates as well as immigration. 

The Realities of Poverty 

Latino poverty has been increasing since the 

1980s despite the fact that male Latinos are 

employed at a higher rate than any other group: 

79 percent versus 67.1 percent for AfricanAmericans and 74.6 percent for non-Hispanic 

Whites. In many families both parents must 

work, and many children work before and after 

school to augment the family income. Despite 

these efforts, 40 percent of Hispanic children 

live in poverty. 

Latino children living in poverty may be more 

susceptible to injury and death because 

TM family finances may not stretch to buy a 

child safety seat 

TM old vehicles frequently have worn or 

damaged seat belts 

TM crowded vehicles leave little room for a 

child safety seat or 

TM a truck is used as the family vehicle and 

there is not enough room for a child safety 

seat 

Language 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 

32 million people over the age of five speak a 

language other than English in the home. 

Although most U.S. Latinos speak English (74 

percent), Spanish continues to be the favored 

language in the home. The shared border 

between the United States and Mexico; the 

mobility of Puerto Ricans, who move between 

living on the island and on the mainland; the 

strong ties with families living in the home 

country; and strong cultural traditions encourage 

the use of Spanish in the home. 

Spirituality 

Spirituality plays a central role in the lives of 

many Latinos. There is a strong, unshakable 

belief that a higher power dispenses justice and 

wisdom and watches over everyone. This belief 

is manifested in the commonly used phrase, 

“Sí Dios quiera (if God wills it).” 

According to the staff of Avance-Dallas, an 

NLCI La Promesa program, this belief may 

cause some families to feel that using seat belts 

or child safety seats is “being distrustful of 

God’s ability to keep their children safe.” Others 

may feel that they are tempting fate, inviting a 

car crash. 

National Latino Children’s Institute 3 
While some groups may see this as a barrier, 

Corazón de mi vida uses this belief as the foundation for an activity. (See Child Safety Seat 

Blessing) 

The Heart of the Matter 

Corazón de mi vida builds a safe future for 

young Latinos by connecting childcare providers, medical practitioners, law enforcement 

officers, businesses, clergy and others with families in a unique partnership to change practices 

and beliefs regarding child passenger safety. 

The Corazón de mi vida kit has taken into 

account a number of principles essential for 

successful Latino community outreach. Among 

these are: 

1. Materials invite Latinos to become involved 

in the campaign and to recognize their role in 

saving lives. 

2. Images in the materials are representative of 

the Latino culture and include graphics that are 

visually and culturally appealing. 

3. Messages are positive and uplifting, building 

on what people are already doing right. 

4. Messages are bilingual, with Spanish language 

materials written in the formal usted form. 

5. Materials focus on one message at a time to 

avoid confusing the audience. 

6. Messages are embedded in familiar riddles, 

stories and rhymes. 

7. Religious or community celebrations, such 

as the April 30 celebration of El Día de los 

Niños,are used to conduct outreach activities. 

8. Materials are authentic and created for the 

audience, not translated from English. 

9. The most common Spanish terms are used in 

the materials. Each product was tested with different Latino groups in various regions of the 

country. 

10. Collaborations with community-based 

organizations in Latino neighborhoods are 

woven into the design of the activities. 

4 Corazón de mi vida 
The Corazón de mi vida Kit 

The Corazón de mi vida kit contains bilingual 

educational materials on child passenger 

safety for Latino parents and communities. The 

messages are positive and uplifting, building on 

what families and the community are already 

doing right. The materials encourage people to 

make child passenger safety a priority in their 

lives by making the use of child safety seats and 

seat belts a lifetime habit. The materials remind 

parents and other caregivers of the most important 

reason for complying: they love their children. 

The kit contains: 

TM handbook 

TM bilingual hangers 

TM bumper stickers 

TM location event posters 

TM Safety Lotería game 

TM Corazón de mi vida stickers 

TM Mini Checklists 

Hangers 

Using riddles and rhymes, these bilingual hangers remind parents to use safety seats and seat 

belts and to reinforce the three campaign messages: 

TM Children are safest when riding in a properly 

installed safety seat 

TM Children should ride in the middle of the 

backseat, or if there isn’t a backseat, in the 

center of the front seat away from airbags 

TM Adults should use seatbelts and set a good 

example for children. 

Hanger #1: Funciona 

como un cinturón. 

Protege su hijo como 

un león. ¿Qué es? El 

asiento de seguridad. 

The translation of the 

riddle is: “It works 

like a belt. It protects 

your child like a lion. 

What is it? A child 

safety seat.” 

The back of this hanger has reminders and 

important information about the proper use and 

the correct position of the safety seat, as well as 

the weight limitation for the seats. 

Hanger #2: Tris, Tras no adelante, pero siempre 

atrás. Estará más seguro, y ¡sí lo verás! The 

translation of the rhyme is: “Tic, tac, not in front 

but in the back. Your child will be safer and you 

can still see him!” 

The back of this hanger reminds parents to 

always place their child in the back seat. 

Hanger #3: Tú eres el son de mi corazón, por 

eso me abrocho mi cinturón. The translation is: 

“You are the rhythm of my heart, and that’s why 

I’ll buckle up.” 

The back of this hanger reminds parents that, as 

role models, they should set an example for their 

child and buckle up. 

Suggested Use: The hangers are an easy tool to 

communicate key messages on child passenger 

safety to parents and other caregivers. Hangers 

can be distributed at El Día de los Niños celebrations, Child Passenger week or at a parenting 

meeting. 

National Latino Children’s Institute 5 
Work with a radio station to distribute the hangers during a planned giveaway. Hangers can be 

displayed on the radio button or even from the 

back of the driver’s seat. 

Corazón de mi vida Stickers 

The large round stickers are perfect as gifts to 

children for playing Safety Lotería, or for adhering to car seats, diaper bags, strollers, etc. The 

brightly colored logo can remind children to 

always ride in their safety seat, buckled up. 

Bumper Sticker 

The brightly colored bumper sticker says it all: 

Estás en mi corazón y te abrocho el cinturón. In 

English the words mean, “You are in my heart 

and I will buckle you up.” 

Suggested Use: Bumper stickers can be affixed 

not only to car bumpers, but also to diaper bags 

and strollers. Ask for permission to place them 

on exit doors at various sites around town (grocery, pharmacy, doctor’s offices). Distribute the 

bumper stickers to parents at the Corazón de mi 

vida events. Bumper stickers can also be used as 

raffle or door prizes for the Lotería game. 

Mini Checklists 

These tags were designed for busy parents and 

other adults who need a quick refresher course 

on installing the safety seat. The Mini 

Checklists include instructions for each of the 

three most commonly used child safety seats— 

rear facing, forward facing and booster seats. 

The laminated safety seat checklists are 3" x 2" 

business card size tags, similar to a luggage tag. 

The back of each tag contains a quick checklist 

of key points for proper installation of that particular safety seat. The checklists are available 

in English or Spanish. 

Suggested Use: Tags can be attached to a diaper 

bag or a stroller, on the safety seat itself. Use 

the tag as a bow on a baby shower package. 

Remove the hang tag and the laminated card can 

be hung on a key chain for easy access to this 

important information. 

Safety Lotería 

This game teaches passenger safety to children 

ages three to eight. The bingo-like game stresses 

the importance of using safety seats and belts, 

and encourages children to cooperate with their 

parents when asked to ride safely in a vehicle. 

The brightly colored game contains eight boards 

illustrated with various images about child passenger safety. The set contains 14 cards and 

ty message and correfront of each card. 

Suggested Use: Play 

Lotería with children 

during El Día de los 

Niños. Invite a leader in 

the community to join 

the children in playing 

the game. Serve cookies 

and milk as a snack. 

Invite the press. 

markers. The back of each 

playing card has a teaching 

point that reinforces a safesponds to the image on the 

Other Materials 

Supplementary materials including a Corazón 

de mi vida video, tip sheets, T-shirts and a 

CD-Rom are available separately. 

6 Corazón de mi vida 
Connecting with the Community 

Corazón de mi vida is a comprehensive Various campaigns have attempted to change the initiative that includes not only materials, low rate of safety seat usage in the Latino combut activities for connecting with the Latino munity, but these campaigns were designed for 

community. the general population with little planning or 

understanding of how to successfully reach To conduct successful outreach campaigns for Latinos. Many of the campaigns employed Latinos, families must feel that they have a word-for-word translations, using English syntax relationship with the people providing the and grammar, thus making the message almost information, that the experience is an equal incomprehensible to Spanish speakers. Others exchange with each party distributed materials such as

providing an important pamphlets and posters that service. Persons conduct- were discarded because the

ing outreach in the Latino distribution process was not community must establish connected to culturally rele­ confianza—a deep con- vant activities or interpersonal nection. When confianza interactions. 

with another person is

established, trust and Corazón de mi vida uses culcaring are implicit. turally significant holidays

and celebrations that invite 

Contrary to popular Latino families and the whole 

beliefs, the majority of community to become part- Latinos speak English. ners in assuring that children Some Latinos are bilin- will be safe.

gual while others are

monolingual Spanish or Births, Baptisms and

English. When choosing First Birthdays

the best medium for contacting Latinos, remember Family celebrations are

that both languages are important events for

spoken. A recent study found that 25 percent of Latinos—weddings, funerals, birthdays and

Latinos watch Spanish language television quinceañeras—everyone attends, from the

exclusively, 25 percent watch English language, youngest to the oldest. Often, the celebrations

and 50 percent switch back and forth between last all day or even throughout the weekend.

the two depending on the programming.

Therefore, it is imperative that invitations to Births, baptisms and first birthdays are important

milestones in a child’s life. The celebrations can events are produced in Spanish and English, 

whether the medium used is radio, television or be used to spread the message of child passenger 

written materials. safety to the adults in the child’s life. 

National Latino Children’s Institute 7 
Birth is a joyful event in Latino families. The 

whole family goes to the hospital to welcome 

their newest member, with cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles camping out until they 

hear the good news. This provides an opportunity for working with clinics, hospitals and midwives to include Corazón de mi vida materials 

in the new baby packages they distribute. 

During a baptism, the padrinos (godparents) 

pledge to assist the parents in raising the child, 

to help keep the child safe. Individuals can work 

with the clergy to include Corazón de mi vida 

materials in their classes for godparents. 

Godparents and parents can pledge that they will 

always use child safety seats. 

In many Latino communities, a child’s first 

birthday is a huge celebration. Historically, 

many children died before their first birthday; 

therefore, if a child survived, the family 

rejoiced. Plan quarterly birthday parties for oneyear-olds and their parents. Hold Safety Seat 

Clinics during the birthday parties and distribute 

the Corazón de mi vida materials. 

El Día de los Niños—Celebrating 

Young Americans 

This new national holiday, celebrated every year 

on April 30, can be used to focus attention on 

child passenger safety. All across the country, 

communities celebrate children and youth by 

planning activities such as health fairs, parades, 

cultural festivals and concerts. Coordinators can 

plan a Safety Seat Clinic and Blessing or a 

Safety Fair for El Día de los Niños. Because of 

the national media attention focused on the day, 

this provides an excellent opportunity to plan a 

press conference and highlight the campaign. 

NLCI’s El Día de los Niños Kit contains additional information and ideas on how to use the 

day to highlight specific issues. 

El día de los muertos 

This religious holiday is celebrated in Mexico 

and the United States. every year on November 

2. Families work for days to prepare for the festival: tombstones are cleaned, plots are weeded 

and special foods are cooked, including pan de 

muertos. Families attend church and then go to 

the cemeteries to have a picnic and remember 

their loved ones who have died. 

While Corazón de mi vida emphasizes using 

positive and uplifting messages, this day lends 

itself to a more somber message. Use the day to 

draw attention to the number of children who 

have died because they were not properly 

restrained in cars. 

Work with churches to create altares. Many 

families create altares in their homes. Typically, 

the altar is created on a table using photographs 

of the person being honored, candles, religious 

icons, flowers and food offerings. 

8 Corazón de mi vida 
Parent Pláticas 

Activity 1 

Parents need the opportunity to meet together to discuss important topics. A plática—a chat or 

talk—offers the perfect opportunity to discuss issues of child passenger safety. Parents are often 

frustrated by the bewildering array of child safety seats on the market, the best ways to get their 

children to stay in the child safety seat or how to stress the importance of children riding in child safety seats to their mothers and grandmothers, who may not share the same beliefs. During a plática, 

parents can share the strategies they’ve employed to ensure that their children stay safe while riding 

in cars. 

Messages 

Children are safer in cars when buckled in a properly installed child safety seat. 

Different safety seats are used depending on the weight of the child and the make and model 

of the car. 

Children are safest when the child safety seat is placed in the backseat, or, if there isn’t a 

backseat, in the middle of the front seat. 

Plática Topics 

TM choosing the best safety seat for the 

child’s height and weight and matching 

the best seat for the model of the car. 

TM tips for getting children to stay in the 

safety seats. 

TM what to say when other family members 

or friends don’t believe in using child 

safety seats or seat belts. 

TM the do’s and don’ts of safety seat 

installation. 

TM becoming a role model for the children 

and the community. 

TM driver’s liability for unrestrained 

passengers. 

Planning 

Facilitators should consider scheduling a series 

of pláticas so that families have the opportunity 

to fully discuss each issue. Parents will have 

suggestions, problems, solutions and even new 

ways to look at a particularly thorny issue. 

Check with the families before scheduling a 

plática. Many Latinos work multiple jobs or late 

shifts, and attending a meeting at 6 p.m. may be 

impossible. Also, it is necessary to take into 

account regular family activities that might prevent them from attending a meeting. 

Remember that the whole family will attend, so 

providing child care, with activities for a range 

of ages, is necessary. Family elders also may 

choose to attend. 

National Latino Children’s Institute 9 
Staffing 

Three to five people are needed to help set up, 

especially if child care will be provided. 

Depending on the number and ages of the children, four to ten bilingual staff members are 

needed. If possible, the child care providers 

should be known to the children. Staff-child 

ratio should, at a minimum, adhere to state 

standards. 

Two people should facilitate the plática, and 

both must be bilingual and bicultural. If possible, one person should be a Child Passenger 

Safety technician. If the agency is involved in a 

multitude of child passenger activities, a staff 

member may wish to become a certified technician. (See Resource Section at the end of this 

book.) 

Contacting Families 

Families must feel that they have a personal 

invitation to the plática. It may be necessary to 

visit families in their homes to invite them to the 

plática. Explain that parents will be getting 

together to discuss the safety of children in cars 

and that there will be a short presentation. Ask 

families to invite their friends to the event. 

Materials Needed

TM snacks

TM chart tablet

TM chart markers

TM sign-in sheet

TM nametags

TM pens or markers

TM Corazón de mi vida Hangers 

TM Mini Checklist Tags in English and Spanish

TM Safety Lotería game

TM television

TM VCR

TM extension cord

TM child safety seats for demonstration

Setup 

The chairs should be placed in a circle around 

the room to encourage discussion between the 

participants. A table with nametags and the signin sheet can be set up outside the room. If the 

Corazón de mi vida video will be shown, the 

television should be set up where everyone can 

see the screen. 

The Plática 

Greet everyone as they come in the door. If 

there are new people in the group, facilitators 

should allow them to introduce themselves. 

Schedule time before the plática begins for participants to meet and get to know each other, or 

just to chat. This should feel as if friends have 

gotten together at someone’s home. 

Invite parents to sit. If people don’t know each 

other, ask them to introduce themselves: name, 

where they were born and how many children 

they have. The facilitators should also introduce 

themselves. Explain the purpose of the meeting, 

any ground rules and the approximate time the 

plática will end. If it is a small group, use the 

Safety Lotería as an ice breaker. 

The first scene in the Corazón de mi vida video 

is a great way to start the meeting. The scene 

can be played and the participants can be questioned about what they think happened next. If 

possible, include statistics on the number of 

young Latinos in the community who have died 

due to car crashes. 

Once the presentation is concluded, ask the parents to reflect on the information they have 

received. Ask them to share specific problems 

they have with using child safety seats. It may 

be necessary to ask probing questions. Some of 

the answers elicited could be used as topics for 

other pláticas. 

10 Corazón de mi vida 
Problems might include 

TM children refuse to stay in a child safety seat 

TM they are not sure if they are using the correct 

seat 

TM they do not know how to correctly install the 

seat 

TM other family members undermine the rules 

for riding in child safety seats or 

TM a spouse or other loved family member 

refuses to wear a seat belt 

Write down each problem as it is voiced. Ask if 

anyone has dealt with the problem successfully 

or has a solution to the problem. Discussions 

may be very lively, especially if the spouses do 

not agree. Each time a solution is presented, 

write it down. 

As solutions are suggested, ask the person who 

voiced the problem whether they think that particular solution will help them keep their children safe. Ask if they are willing to try it out. 

At the end of the plática, praise the families for 

their commitment to keeping their children safe. 

Each family member should receive a hanger or 

Mini Checklist to remind them that children can 

ride safely in child safety seats. If a Car Safety 

Seat Clinic has been scheduled, invite them to 

attend. 

Thank the families for attending. If there is any 

food left over, invite the families to take it home. 

Evaluation 

The Parent Plática is a perfect opportunity to 

evaluate not only the participants’ prior knowledge and understanding of child passenger safety, but also how much they learned during the 

plática. The following questions can be used as 

a starting point for creating an evaluation. 

TM What was the most helpful information you 

learned? 

TM With whom will you share the information? 

TM Did the demonstration provide you with new 

information about installing the safety seat? 

TM What did you learn from the other participants? 

TM Did you learn new tips on how to keep children happy in a safety seat? 

TM What other child passenger safety topics 

would you like to see? 

Evaluations should be developed in both Spanish 

and English. Use the participants’ suggestions as 

topics for other pláticas. 

Clean-up 

Encourage children to help clean up the activities and toys they used in the childcare area. 

Parents also can assist by putting chairs away, 

throwing away the trash, etc. 

National Latino Children’s Institute 11 
Safety Seat Clinics 

Activity 2 

Studies have shown that up to 85 percent of the safety seats checked are improperly used and 

installed. Children riding in these seats are in great danger of death or serious injury in a car crash. 

Safety Seat Clinics provide a non-threatening venue for child safety seats to be inspected by professionals trained to instruct parents in the correct selection and installation of safety seats. 

Messages 

Up to 85 percent of child safety seats are improperly used and installed. 

The age, weight and height of the child, as well as the type of vehicle, determine the type of safety 

seat to use. 

The best child safety seat is one that fits the child and the vehicle, will be used correctly every 

time and is affordable. 

Children are safest when the child safety seat is placed in the backseat. 

Airbags in cars where children must ride in the front seat should be deactivated or have an off-on 

switch installed. 

Materials

Banner, Corazón de mi vida hangers, sign-in

sheets, Mini Checklists, bumper stickers and

Safety Lotería game; safety seats, two tables,

clipboards, pens, water or soft drinks, cups,

orange traffic cones, tape or rope, ice and an

ice chest. In warm climates, a tent may be

necessary to provide shade. Signs or tagboard and markers.

CPS technicians will also need other items.

Talk to them about these items and decide

who will be responsible for procuring them.

Items to budget for 

Child safety seats

Water, soft drinks and ice

Tent rental (for inclement or hot weather)

Liability/event insurance

Planning 

Plan the clinic to coincide with a holiday such as 

El Día de los Niños on April 30 or El día de los 

muertos on November 2. Local businesses near 

the Latino community should be contacted to 

secure a location with a large parking lot and 

access to restrooms. Potential sponsors should be 

contacted with a letter requesting funds to purchase safety seats, and a follow-up phone call 

should be made within a few days of mailing the 

request. Publicity is vital to ensuring that the 

Safety Seat Clinic is a success. Television and 

radio stations should be contacted for possible 

partnerships and sponsorship, including requesting public service announcements to publicize the 

event. 

12 Corazón de mi vida 
It is imperative that event liability insurance for 

the event be purchased by the sponsoring 

agency. 

Partners and Sponsors 

Holding a Safety Seat Clinic requires the assistance of not only the sponsoring agency, but 

additional partners that can help by promoting, 

sponsoring and staffing the clinic. There are 

groups in every community that are willing to 

help. The following is a partial list of possible 

partners. 

TM The local or regional Department of 

Transportation maintains a list of Child 

Passenger Safety (CPS) technicians. The 

technicians must be contacted and their 

assistance in performing the safety seat 

checks requested. Only National Highway 

Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 

certified Child Passenger Safety technicians, 

who have undergone training on the proper 

installation of child safety seats, can perform 

the checks. 

TM Many auto dealers, auto parts stores, fast 

food restaurants or department stores have 

participated in Safety Seat Clinics by allowing the use of their parking lots and helping 

publicize the event. Local businesses in the 

area, such as an insurance company, fast 

food restaurant, auto dealer, hospital, etc., 

can also be contacted to raise money to buy 

safety seats. 

TM The local police department should be invited 

to participate. Some departments have 

programs or funds for buying safety seats. 

TM Some communities also have a child safety 

seat loaner program that can help find child 

safety seats for the clinic. 

TM This is a great opportunity to include local 

churches by requesting their participation in 

a child safety seat blessing before the clinic 

begins. (see Child Safety Seat Blessing.) 

TM Radio and television stations should be contacted for sponsorship, which can include 

free advertising for the clinic. 

Staffing 

Three to five people will need to set up. The 

number of hours the clinic is open will determine the number of volunteers needed, as well 

as the number of Child Passenger Safety (CPS) 

technicians needed. At least two people should 

be available to support each technician—one 

person to guide the cars into the clinic and the 

other to assist the technician. A team of traffic 

flow coordinators should be assigned to make 

sure that everyone is safe and that the flow of 

traffic moves smoothly through the area. Two 

people should staff the sign in table. Also, two 

to four volunteers should be available to play 

Safety Lotería with children while the child 

safety seats are being inspected. All volunteers 

should be bilingual. 

CPS technicians have a wealth of knowledge in 

making a Safety Seat Clinic run smoothly and 

are very eager to share their experiences. 

Organizing agencies should use their expertise to 

plan and coordinate the event. 

National Latino Children’s Institute 13 
Setup 

The banner should be hung where it will be visible to people looking for the clinic, and signs 

thanking the sponsors should be highly visible. 

One table should be placed near the entrance to 

the area where the clinic will be held and set up 

with sign-in sheets. A sign or banner can be 

used to designate the purpose of the table. The 

other table can be used to hold the Corazón de 

mi vida information and other appropriate 

materials. In hot climates, a tent may be necessary to help keep people and the safety seats 

from overheating. The drinks can also be set up 

under the tent. 

The CPS technician should design the safety 

zone—how the traffic should flow, where the 

cars will enter, wait, be inspected and depart. 

The orange traffic cones can be used to mark 

traffic lanes. 

An area should be set up where children can 

wait for their parents and play the Corazón de 

mi vida Safety Lotería game. Children who use 

car seats will need to be available so that the 

CPS technician can make sure parents know 

how to correctly secure a child in the safety seat. 

The Day of the Event 

Each family should be greeted as they arrive and 

directed to the sign-in table. The process for getting the child safety seats checked should be 

explained, and children should be invited to play 

while they wait their turn. Some parents may 

feel dismayed if they see a long line, but encourage them to wait for their turn. This is the perfect opportunity to gather information about the 

family’s views on passenger safety, or to discuss 

any issues they may have. If a Parent Plática is 

planned, the families can be invited to attend. 

As each car moves through the line, it is important that the adults in the family observe and 

speak with the CPS technician. The technician 

will work with the family to help them learn the 

correct methods of using and installing the car 

seat and buckling the child. The technician will 

also ask families a number of questions. 

Organizers should contact the Governor’s State 

Highway Representative to get copies of the 

Child Safety Seat Checklists. This documentation is very important. After the technician has 

demonstrated the process, the safety seats should 

be removed and the adults should install the 

seat. Because of issues of liability, this step is 

very important—the adult, not the technician, 

must be the last person to touch the safety seat. 

This is also an excellent way to ensure that 

adults have learned how to correctly install the 

seat. 

As the families leave, provide each one with a 

Corazón de mi vida hanger, Mini Checklist or 

bumper sticker and invite them to the next 

event. If possible, conduct a quick evaluation 

and ask the adults: 

What was the most important thing you learned 

today? 

Would you recommend this activity to other 

people? 

14 Corazón de mi vida 
The answers to these questions can be included Cleanup and Follow-up

in the thank yous that are sent to the sponsoring

agencies and businesses. The banner should be removed, rolled up and

stored for use at the next clinic, and the area 

Radio Station Fun should be cleaned and trash deposited in the 

If a radio station agrees to sponsor the clinic, appropriate containers. 

suggest that the station set up a remote near the Each sponsor, including the technician, should

site of the clinic. Families who attended the be thanked, with any comments made by parents

clinic and placed the bumper sticker on their car included in the letter. Pictures are always apprecan stop by for a prize. ciated by everyone and should also be sent.

Write thank you letters to all of the sponsors, The radio station can continue the focus on child including the group that provided the site, the passenger safety by playing a “spot the bumper radio stations and the technicians.

sticker” game for the week following the Safety

Seat Clinic. Many radio stations use this game to

highlight an issue or to increase their listener

share. Mobile D.J.s drive around town during

specific hours, and if they spot a car with the

bumper sticker, that driver wins a prize. Live

interviews can be conducted as the motorist is

asked about what they learned at the safety seat

clinic.

National Latino Children’s Institute 15 
Safety Fair 

Activity 3 

ASafety Fair provides an opportunity to discuss child passenger safety issues with children, 

youth, parents and extended family members through activities, demonstrations and games. 

This event can help highlight and promote child passenger safety in the Latino community on April 

30, El Día de los Niños. The activities remind adults to show their love for their children by ensuring 

that they are always buckled up when riding in the car. Children can also make buckling up a lifetime 

habit. 

Messages 

Placing children in the backseat is the best way to keep them safe.

Passenger safety is a lifelong habit.

Children can learn to stay in their child safety seat.

Children can learn to like staying in the child safety seat.

Everyone can become a partner in child passenger safety and in creating safer communities.

Partners and Sponsors 

To be successful, many people must help organize 

and run the fair. Form a committee of people who 

work in safety-related and child-focused organizations such as clinics, hospitals, physician associations, police and fire departments, local and 

regional departments of transportation, churches, 

schools, childcare centers and children’s museums. Each organization can sponsor one or two 

booths and run the activities for that booth. 

Invite businesses to sponsor specific booths. 

Contact insurance companies, auto dealers, grocery and food stores, etc. Contact expert 

builders for help in building booths and stages. 

Items to Budget For 

If a Safety Seat Clinic is planned in conjunction 

with this event, event liability insurance is necessary. Other budget items are dependent on the 

planned activities. 

The Media 

Media must be involved from the start. Ask a 

television and radio station to help sponsor the 

day. Use media wisely: promote the fair on local 

talk shows, early morning newscasts, radio and 

print media. Ask celebrities or public officials to 

write op-ed pieces about the importance of child 

passenger safety for the newspaper. Invite parents to be interviewed for newspapers, radio or 

television. 

Four days before the fair, a media advisory 

should be sent to the press that includes basic 

information: who, what, where, when and why. 

The day before the event, a press release should 

be sent out that describes the event, including a 

list of the celebrities or dignitaries who will be 

attending and whether there will be photo 

opportunities. 

On the day of the event, a media table should be 

set up that includes a sign-in sheet, press badges 

16 Corazón de mi vida 
and a press kit. The press kit should include the 

press release previously sent to the media, a fact 

sheet on child passenger safety, including local 

statistics, and press releases from partner organizations, sponsors, the mayor, etc. The volunteer 

should keep a list of all media that attends the 

event to facilitate follow-up and to add to (or 

begin) a media database. 

Location, Location, Location 

The fair should take place in an area that is large 

enough to handle not only the booths and the 

crowds, but also has ample parking. The most 

successful fairs are those that are on a bus route 

Getting Started 

The Safety Fair should begin with an opening 

ceremony, perhaps with a local celebrity, the 

mayor or another dignitary who can proclaim the 

day Child Safety Day. Children who represent 

the community can cut the ribbon. 

Activities 

Plan for a minimum of ten booths, each hosting 

a different hands-on activity. Local health care 

groups can be invited to host booths with handson activities that promote healthy habits such as 

good nutrition, tooth brushing, the importance of 

and in places 

or other metro line, 

Organizers should 

consider scheduling 

the Safety Fair during 

a week or day that 

already receives media 

attention: April 30 for 

El Día de los Niños, 

immunizations, etc. Each booth should provide 

tee to evaluate the success of the fair. 

Important Celebrations

February - National Child Passenger Safety Week 

April 30 - El Día de los Niños

May - Buckle Up America! 

September -

November 2 - El día de los muertos 

Speak out and make NOYS

the information through a 

where Latinos hands-on activity rather 

frequently than just distributing 

gather. pamphlets or brochures. 

People are more likely 

to retain information 

when they are engaged 

in the learning. 

Follow-up 

Meet with the commitNational Child

Passenger Safety Week or Buckle Up America. Some questions to consider include:

This provides the perfect opportunity to connect TM Was the fair well attended?

with national media campaigns. Check the

NHTSA Web site, www.nhtsa.gov, for informa- TM Did the children and adults enjoy the

tion on these celebrations. activities?

Staffing the Event TM Did the press cover the event? 

The number of volunteers needed will be deter- TM Were there any follow-up articles written 

mined by the size of the fair and the number of in the newspaper (post-event)? 

activities. 

TM What feedback, if any, did the committee 

Usually, approximately 40 to 50 people are receive? 

needed to build, set up and decorate the area;

four or five people to man each booth, 30 people TM Were there enough volunteers? 

to clean up, two people to work with the media, TM What really worked?

two or three people to handle celebrities and

entertainers, and three people to handle the TM What could be improved?

logistics and keep everything running smoothly. Record the answers and begin the process of

planning the next Safety Fair. 

National Latino Children’s Institute 17 
Safety Fair Activities 

A number of booths and activities relating to 

child safety seat safety can be set up. These 

include: 

Safety Seat Clinic 

This event provides the perfect opportunity 

to incorporate a Safety Seat Clinic in the fair. 

(See the information on page 16 to plan the 

clinic.) 

Safety Lotería Game 

Safety Lotería is a bingolike game. The pictures 

and phrases can be used to 

teach safety concepts 

while families play together. Winners can receive 

prizes such as bumper 

stickers, hangers or other 

donated items that promote 

child passenger safety. 

Scavenger Hunt 

Scavenger hunts are fun for the whole family. Prepare a sheet with the list (in Spanish 

and English) of various items promoting 

child passenger safety that can be found 

around the fair. Families receive a sheet, and 

together walk around the fair to look for the 

items. For example: 

TM A picture of a child appropriately buckled in a safety seat 

TM A bumper sticker promoting child passenger safety 

TM A reminder for installing safety seats 

TM A Safety Safety Lotería card 

TM Child passenger safety seat: an infant, 

car or booster seat 

The family hunts for each item, participates 

in the activity and receives a stamp in the 

appropriate space that verifies that they completed the activity. After all the spaces are 

stamped, the family returns to the start and 

receives a gift. 

In the Car, Out of the Car 

Both children and adults must make using 

seat belts and sitting in properly installed 

child safety seats a lifelong habit. Use this 

activity to encourage families to foster that 

habit. 

Ask a car dealership to donate a demonstration van for the day of the fair. Work with 

the technicians to properly install a child 

safety seat and booster seat. Using life-sized 

dolls, ask children to place their babies in the 

child safety seats. Explain the importance of 

sitting in the child safety seat. Children over 

the age of three also can learn how to properly buckle themselves. This activity is great 

for the Scavenger Hunt. 

Child Safety Seat Blessing 

Schedule a Child Safety Seat Blessing for 

the fair. Work with local churches to plan the 

event. The information on page 19 gives tips 

on planning the event. 

Materials 

Corazón de mi vida hangers, 

Mini Checklists, bumper stickers, 

Safety Lotería game, child safety seats, 

banners, tables, chairs 

sign thanking the sponsors 

18 Corazón de mi vida 
Child Safety Seat Blessings 

Activity 4 

C orazón de mi vida uses the cultural strengths of the Latino community as the foundation for passenger restraint education. The influence of religion and spirituality, for example, 

can sometimes be a barrier to new ideas. Instead of ignoring or blaming these beliefs, Corazón de 

mi vida incorporates religious beliefs by holding Child Safety Seat Blessings to “help God keep 

them safe.” 

Messages 

Everyone has a role to play in keeping children safe. 

Parents love their children so much that they will always buckle them up. 

Adults are the best role models for children, so they will always use their seat belts. 

Planning This event is a wonderful photo opportunity, so 

it is important to contact the media—print, tele- A Safety Fair or Safety Seat Clinic during El vision and radio—and ask them to advertise and Día de los Niños celebrations is the perfect sponsor the event. A possible list of people to be opportunity to hold a Safety Seat Blessing. interviewed should be developed. Local digni- A well-known priest or minister in the Latino taries or celebrities should be invited to the community should be contacted and asked to event. The mayor, his wife or a celebrity may officiate at the blessing. wish to speak at the event. 

National Latino Children’s Institute 19 
One person must produce an agenda for the 

event that includes the order of speakers, who 

introduces whom, etc. 

Staffing 

A minimum of two people are needed to help set 

up the area for the blessing. The safety seats 

should be set up on a table. A bilingual priest or 

minister should be scheduled to perform the 

blessing. 

Location 

A church can be the perfect site for the blessing, 

or, if there is a Safety Seat Clinic or Safety Fair 

planned, a car dealership, auto supply store, or 

store parking lot can be 

used for the blessing. 

Materials

banner Setup

child safety seats Banners should be hung

podium announcing the event and table 

microphone a display created of child 

press materials safety seats near the banrefreshments ner. A table placed near 

Corazón de mi vida the entrance can hold the 

materials Corazón de mi vida 

materials and press kits. 

The Blessing 

The event should begin with a welcome and the 

introduction of any dignitaries or special guests 

in attendance. After the priest or minister has 

blessed the child safety seats, he may wish to 

bless child safety seats that are already installed 

in cars as well as seat belts. 

Follow-up 

Event organizers should write a story about the 

event for the newspaper and include photographs for publication. Send thank you letters to 

sponsors and the priest or minister, and include 

positive comments about the event. 

The diocese can also print information about 

child passenger safety in its church bulletin, 

using the Corazón de mi vida materials as a 

guide. 

20 Corazón de mi vida 
Working with the Media 

It is important to develop a media plan for every Corazón de mi vida event targeting the public. 

Getting the message out and creating a stir about child passenger safety is critical to changing people’s behavior. Since most messages about safety seats have been targeted to the general market, any 

effort to publicize Corazón de mi vida will result in new information to Latinos. 

One of the best ways to create a stir about child safety is to connect the topic to high media activity 

days such as El Día de los Niños—Celebrating Young Americans, observed now in over 100 communities. This new national holiday honors and uplifts children on April 30. It is recognized by the U.S. 

Senate with a senate resolution and in many cities and states with resolutions passed by their governing bodies. The reading of these resolutions at citywide press conferences draws attention to children, 

and when possible the issue of safety should be included. Free-standing press events can also be 

planned to promote Corazón de mi vida activities. 

Volunteers and Committees 

A committee of volunteers should be organized 

before beginning the media work. Brainstorming 

sessions with the committee can produce innovative ideas for the media plan. In many cases, 

volunteers and committee members are the best 

contacts. These people will have a wide range of 

ideas and skills. 

TM Make assignments for each person clear, 

and eliminate any confusion over who will 

be responsible for each part of the plan. 

TM Designate a spokesperson as the media 

contact. 

TM Circulate weekly memos via fax or e-mail 

to inform fellow committee members of any 

interviews, events or changes in the schedule. 

TM Keep minutes from meetings to document 

assignments and progress. 

TM Plan a recognition ceremony or luncheon 

with certificates or mementos to thank the 

committee after the work is complete. 

Three Stages 

There are three stages to media coverage of any 

activity: Pre-event, On the Spot Event, and 

Post-event coverage. Each of these stages 

requires different materials and media tactics, 

and each is critical to promote maximum media 

coverage of the event. Additional elements such 

as “photo ops,” technical or equipment needs, 

media access and other special considerations 

must be taken into account when planning the 

logistics of a press event. This media plan outlines each of the essential steps for maximum 

media coverage of a Corazón de mi vida activity. 

National Latino Children’s Institute 21 
1. Pre-event Coverage 

Creating the Media Plan 

Organization is the key to planning a successful 

media plan. Formulate a detailed schedule outlining each step of the plan. 

Consider the larger goals. 

What type and scope of media will the plan 

target at which time? What kind of information 

does the press need at each point in the plan? 

What information and materials will be necessary for each type of media to cover the event 

successfully? 

Once the overall goals of the media plan have 

been outlined, each of the small steps necessary 

to achieve them can be completed. 

When planning the schedule, remember the time 

constraints of each type of media and how the 

nature of the media outlets affect coverage of 

the event. For example, a monthly magazine 

may need information and photographs six to 

eight weeks in advance in order to include a 

story on Corazón de mi vida in its next issue. 

A television station can provide instantaneous 

coverage of the event itself and may want to do 

a follow-up story on the local progress of the 

plan. A national paper may require several press 

releases spaced several weeks apart, including a 

media advisory the day before the event, in 

order to pique interest in covering the event. 

Remember that each type of media, depending 

on its target audience, may take a different slant 

on Corazón de mi vida unless they are provided 

with the key points of the initiative. Plan which 

kinds of information and press releases should 

go to which type of media sources. For example, 

a local television station may want more information on Latino children and safety seats, 

while a national paper may take a broader 

perspective, such as children and safety. 

22 Corazón de mi vida 
A Typical Plan 

Day of the event 

Provide press kit 

Coordinate 

interview 

Set up on-thespot interviews 

with parents and 

children 

Editorial appears 

regarding the 

issue 

Provide press kit 

with Spanish 

press release 

Arrange for 

Spanish speakers 

to be interviewed 

at event 

Media outlet 

Television news 

media 

Spanish language 

radio talk show 

English language 

daily newspaper 

Weekly Spanish 

language 

newspaper 

Four weeks 

before the event 

Plan appropriate 

angle for story, 

call to inquire 

about interest 

Send letter with 

news release 

regarding event 

Meet with 

editorial board 

to draw attention 

to the issue 

Meet with a 

reporter about the 

upcoming event 

Three weeks 

before the event 

Send general press 

release on the 

event 

Call to get on the 

schedule 

Develop op-ed 

column 

Send press release 

Provide Spanish 

language article 

on the topic 

Two weeks 

before the event 

Call to get interest 

in the event 

Send more 

detailed press 

release 

Send additional 

information about 

the speaker and 

the issue 

Get people to 

send letters to the 

editor responding 

to column 

Announce the 

event and invite 

the public to 

participate 

Day before 

the event 

Send press 

reminder 

Call to see who 

is coming 

Air the interview, provide 

information 

about the next 

day’s event 

Send press 

release for 

reporter to cover 

story 

Send reminder 

to cover the 

event 

Review the plan and be prepared for unexpected changes along the way. 

National Latino Children’s Institute 23
Media Outreach

Approaching the Media 

The objective of media outreach is to make 

favorable contacts with the media to advance 

publicity for Corazón de mi vida. 

Begin by developing a database for your media 

contacts. This will save time when you’re mailing out information or letters. In many communities a list of contacts can be obtained from the 

Public Relations Division of the Convention and 

Visitors Bureau. The list can be used to find out 

who might be interested and receptive to the 

Corazón de mi vida initiative. 

Look through the local newspaper to identify the 

section of the newspaper most suitable for 

reporting on Corazón de mi vida and contact a 

reporter who writes for that section. Become 

familiar with the specific reporter and the subject matter, as well as the style and format—not 

just how the reporter writes on what he reports. 

Television 

Television is one of the fastest ways to get a 

story out to the community. The steps for creating contacts are the same as for working with 

the newspapers: identify local news and community programs to contact, and then target specific 

reporters. 

Before making the call, be prepared—television 

reporters work in soundbites so it is necessary to 

state the request in a clear and concise manner. 

Make sure that the media contact is interested or 

willing to report on the subject. The simplest 

way of finding out is by asking, “If you are not 

the appropriate person I should be talking to 

could you please direct me to the correct individual?” 

Reporters are always working on deadlines. 

Therefore, it is important to ask the reporter if it 

is a good time to talk; then describe who, what, 

when, where, why and how. Be prepared to 

answer questions. The reporter may then ask for 

a press release, fact sheet, background and other 

information. 

As a courtesy to the reporter, phone ahead first 

before sending an e-mail or fax. Follow up 

several times with this individual before, during 

and after the event. It usually takes many phone 

conversations to get a story covered. 

Organizers should remember the lead times for 

each type of media. Ask about deadlines for the 

story, and respond in a timely manner. Address 

all correspondence using the reporter’s name. 

Do not address to “publisher” or “editor.” 

Don’t assume that the communication has been 

received. Letters, faxes, e-mails and voice mails 

can get lost in a big organization. Follow-up to 

ensure that the most important media contacts 

have received the information. 

24 Corazón de mi vida 
Once Corazón de mi vida has been presented, 

the material sent and the follow up call made, 

call again. Don’t assume that the topic will automatically get press time. Ask if additional information is needed. Also have another angle on 

the subject available to further entice the 

reporter. For example, if the reporter is not 

interested in doing a family story, ask him to 

approach it as a safety issue. 

If all avenues of communication with a reporter 

have failed, it is time to move on. Knowing 

when to move on is important, but just because 

the story is turned down with one media contact 

doesn’t mean others will not be interested. 

The media coordinator should keep accurate and 

updated files of who was approached, what 

information was sent to them and how the 

information was used. 

Writing a Press Release 

Press releases are essential for communicating 

directly with the media. They are the main vehicle for providing reporters with pre-event information and updates. The press release should 

include all the information the reporter needs to 

easily cover the event. Whenever possible, 

media releases should be written on an organization’s letterhead to lend credence to the information being released and give the press a main 

contact name and how to reach someone who 

knows everything about the event. The following 

tips may be useful in writing press releases for 

Corazón de mi vida events. 

Keep it short. Most press releases are one or 

two pages long. Most reporters don’t have time 

to read anything longer than two pages. 

Choose one main message. The release should 

carry one main message, which is usually a single sentence stated clearly as part of the first 

paragraph. All paragraphs should be between 

one and three sentences long. Use outline form 

or bullets whenever possible—whatever makes 

the release quick and easy to read. Try to include 

at least one relevant, publishable quote in every 

press release. 

Include contact information and a release 

date. At the top of the release, be sure to include 

a date for release and the name and phone number of someone in the work group who the 

media can call for more information. Bold 

lettering, all capital letters or larger font sizes 

help this information stand out for quick 

identification. 

Use the inverted pyramid structure. The 

easiest method of organizing a press release is 

an inverted pyramid structure, beginning with 

general information and giving progressively 

more specific information in each additional 

paragraph. Again, the first paragraph should be 

a statement of the main message of the press 

release. Remember that the purpose of a press 

release is not to give the entire story of the event 

in a single page; rather, the goal should be to 

convey the most essential information about the 

event in the fewest, clearest possible words. The 

last paragraph should be information about the 

organization releasing the media advisory: the 

mission statement, the goals of the organization 

and a repetition of the contact name and/or 

phone number. 

Give them the basics: Who, what, where, 

when and why. Who is organizing the event? 

Who are some of the main people and groups 

attending? Who will be speaking at the press 

conference? What is Corazón de mi vida? What 

kind of activities will take place at the event—a 

children’s parade, a press conference, a safety 

seat check? Where will it be held? When will the 

event take place? Why is it important that a 

Corazón de mi vida event is being held? And 

most important, why is this event newsworthy? 

All of this information should be worked into 

every press release sent to the media. 

National Latino Children’s Institute 25 
Ask for confirmation. At the bottom of the 

release, ask media to call the contact person to 

confirm their attendance at the Corazón de mi 

vida press event. During follow-up telephone 

calls, request confirmation from reporters who 

have not responded previously. An initial, general press release should first be sent out two 

weeks in advance of the event. Throughout the 

following week, updates on speakers, celebrities 

and other new developments regarding Corazón 

de mi vida can be sent out as well. The week 

before the event, send out another release as a 

reminder to the media. Continue sending 

updates whenever relevant. Information sent 

during the final week should be followed up 

with phone calls to each person in the media 

database, assuring that each media contact has 

received the information and helping to build a 

relationship with each contact person. 

A final press release should go out the night 

before or the morning of the event, and should 

give a precise schedule, places and times for 

photo “ops” and interviews; information on the 

location of press tables and where to pick up 

media passes and press kits; and information on 

parking for the event. As follow-up, a press 

release describing the success of the event, giving quotes from the press conference and mentioning the availability of photos should go out 

as soon as possible. 

Ask partner organizations to get the word 

out. Ask each of your partner organizations to 

prepare and distribute a press release in support 

of Corazón de mi vida. The release should be 

on their letterhead and should emphasize the 

importance of Corazón de mi vida to children. 

It should include supportive, substantive statements about why the organization supports this 

initiative, and should outline what action they 

plan to take on behalf of children in support of 

the new holiday. It should also include a quote 

from the president of the organization praising 

and supporting Corazón de mi vida. Ask them to 

include their contact information on the release 

and distribute it to their own media constituency. 

These press releases will be included in the 

Corazón de mi vida press kit, so be sure to 

request additional copies for the kits. Otherwise, 

the responsibility for making copies for press 

kits will fall to the media committee members. 

Writing a Public Service 

Announcement 

Although press releases will be used mostly by 

print media, the information will also be useful 

to the broadcast media (television and radio). 

Since broadcast media usually have even less 

time to cover events than print media, additional 

preparation of public service announcements 

(PSAs) for local and national radio and television stations is recommended. PSAs are usually 

30 seconds long or less, so state only the 

basics—who, what, when, where and why. Send 

PSA scripts to the radio stations listed in the 

media database, in addition to the regular press 

releases. Some local public television stations 

air text-only “community calendars” on a daily 

basis. Also, local newspapers have “event calendars” and city Web sites. Send them abbreviated 

versions of the press releases and ask them to 

run the PSAs on their station. Television PSAs 

usually require additional time and work 

because of the visual elements involved. Begin 

working with television stations several months 

ahead of time to develop appropriate visual 

footage and dialogue for Corazón de mi vida 

PSAs. 

Using the wire. Not everyone creates their own 

media database to send out press information, 

although most organizations maintain at least a 

few main contacts of their own. Most large 

organizations and major corporations use wire 

26 Corazón de mi vida 
services to get their press releases to the media. 

Wire services can send any press release to a 

number of specific target media constituencies, 

including national, regional, state or city media, 

radio or television stations, newspapers, magazines or trade publications. Some wire services 

can also send photos or sound bites over the 

wire, which media can pick up and use to augment their stories. Unfortunately, these services 

are usually expensive, with prices ranging 

between $50 (major local newspapers) and $500 

(major nationwide newspapers) each time a 

press release goes out. If one of the Corazón de 

mi vida partner organizations has an affiliation 

with a national wire service, ask if they can get 

a discount or possibly sponsor a Corazón de mi 

vida press release on the wire. 

2. On-the-Spot Event 

Coverage 

Creating a Press Kit 

In order to be prepared for a press conference, it 

is important to have all press materials ready for 

immediate distribution on the morning of the 

event. Contents of the press kit should be prepared at least one week in advance (except for 

late-running press releases, which may be added 

as they go out). Estimate the number of media 

who will attend based on the number of responses and media conin case. Materials in the Corazón de mi vida 

press kit should include: 

TM A copy of each of the press releases prepared 

TM A fact sheet on Corazón de mi vida, listing 

the answers to some of the most commonly 

asked questions 

TM A fact sheet with local and national traffic 

fatality statistics on Latino children and 

youth 

TM A list of partner organizations for the event 

TM The name, phone number and e-mail 

address of a contact person 

TM Any relevant copies of press clippings that 

provide texture to the subject 

Send the media personal invitations, VIP passes, 

guest passes, reserved seating and follow-up. Set 

up a press table where reporters can sign in and 

receive badges and press kits. 

Planning a Press Conference 

The press conference is the event where live 

coverage and most interviews are likely to take 

place—this is the time to shine! It is important 

to schedule the event at an easy-to-find spacious 

location with electrical service for microphones 

firmations received, and lights. 

Remember to and prepare at least arrange for a five to ten extra

press kits and podium, a podium

media badges, just sign and at least 

National Latino Children’s Institute 27 
two microphones placed at the scene at least 30 

minutes before the press conference begins. 

Volunteers may be needed to assist in the preparation for the press conference. Here are some 

pointers to remember. 

Pick a highly visible spot. The location of the 

press conference should be easy to find, with 

enough space to comfortably accommodate the 

number of people anticipated. Choose a spot as 

close as possible to the site of the Corazón de mi 

vida activities. If an outdoor location is chosen, 

be sure to prepare an alternative location nearby 

in case of bad weather. 

Limit it to no more than 30 minutes. The 

entire press conference should last between 15-

30 minutes. Try to keep each speaker’s time at 

the microphone to three minutes or less. 

Check the equipment in advance. Check all 

the sound and lighting equipment at least 15 

minutes before the press conference begins, and 

arrange to have at least two microphones on the 

scene in case of a malfunction. 

Prepare your speakers. Have a short script or 

talking points for each of the speakers at the 

press conference. Include the time and order in 

which they will speak. Give each speaker their 

script the day before the press conference to 

give them time to become familiar with it. 

Prepare a press conference binder. Organize a 

three-ring binder that includes a minute-byminute schedule for the press conference and 

each of the speaker’s scripted remarks, in the 

correct order. Label the binder clearly with 

“Corazón de mi vida Press Conference” and 

place it in plain view on the podium. Tell the 

speakers to feel free to refer to it as needed, but 

to leave it on the podium for the next person. 

This will minimize the stress of speaking in 

front of the cameras and make it easier to 

answer questions and remember key phrases. 

Put the organization’s name out there. 

Prepare a podium sign with the name and logo 

of the sponsoring organization. This will provide 

a clear image for the cameras and a way to pick 

up the name and logo. 

28 Corazón de mi vida 
3. Post-Event Coverage 

The press conference is over—but the work isn’t 

finished yet! Here are some things to do to maintain media excitement about Corazón de mi vida. 

TM Send out a follow-up press release describing the success of the event. Include some of 

the best quotes from the press conference 

and mention that photos are available upon 

request. 

TM Write a press release to create excitement 

about the national Corazón de mi vida initiative, mentioning the success of the local 

event. 

TM Call the media who attended the event. 

Work with their editorial boards to create 

op-ed articles in the following week. 

TM Watch for press coverage of the event that 

evening and the following day. Collect clippings from newspapers and magazines; 

videotape television coverage. Clipping 

services are also available for a fee to help 

collect media coverage of the event. These 

clippings can be put into a promotional 

package to send to prospective sponsors for 

the next event. 

TM Follow up immediately with those who didn’t show up to the press conference. Deliver 

a press kit and press release. The fact that a 

reporter was not at the press conference it 

does not mean he won’t write about the subject. Reporters also appreciate persistence! 

National Latino Children’s Institute 29 
Measuring Success

To improve services it is necessary to continually evaluate the success of any venture 

and review whether the goals and objectives 

were met. For instance, if the goal of the event 

or activity was to inform 20 parents about the 

importance of child passenger safety, a tally 

should be kept of how many people received the 

information. 

The following are some questions to ask before 

the event takes place: 

TM What is the goal of the activity or event? 

TM What will the children, parents or other 

adults learn from this activity? 

TM What behaviors will be changed or skills 

learned from the activity? 

TM What processes or events need to take place 

for learning to occur? 

TM How can those processes or events be documented? 

TM How will the change be measured? 

Answering these questions will provide the 

framework for evaluating the results and measuring the success of every activity. 

After the event or activity takes place, answer 

the following questions: 

TM How many families attended? 

TM If the event was advertised, where did the 

families hear about the event? 

TM How many parents received hangers and 

Mini Checklists? 

TM Was the venue effective? Was it easy to get 

there? Was there enough room for the 

activity? 

TM Were people able to hear the presentations? 

Were there any other distractions that kept 

people from hearing the message? 

TM Were the partners and sponsors helpful? 

Are there other partners/sponsors that can 

be added for the next time? 

TM Was there media coverage? Was the letter to 

the editor published? 

The information gleaned from the evaluation 

will help ensure that next time the activity will 

be even more successful. 

Tracking the Results 

Keep a tally of how many families participate, 

what activities they enjoyed, and if possible, the 

kinds of questions parents asked about child 

passenger safety, proper installation of child 

safety seats, etc. Also, keep an account of how 

long children spent in each activity. Understanding parents’ questions and concerns can 

help in planning other activities. Finally, observe 

if the parents’ attitudes change as they learn 

about the importance of properly restraining 

their children while riding in the car. Observe 

whether parents are complying with the laws. 

Are children still fighting parents about staying 

in the child safety seat? Are more adults wearing 

seat belts? How many bumper stickers can be 

seen around town? 

Each time an event or activity is held, repeat the 

evaluation. Compare the results with the previous 

events to come up with the best formulas for your 

community in terms of time, place, event, etc. 

30 Corazón de mi vida 
Resources

Moving Kids Safely in Childcare 

Training Program 

Moving Kids Safely in Childcare is a 12-hour training 

session for childcare providers to become more aware 

of and prepare to help parents with issues related to 

child passenger safety. 

This is the first national training program developed by 

the nation’s leading childcare professionals. The training is in response to a growing need for all caregivers to 

become involved with national and local efforts to 

increase child passenger safety awareness. 

The course combines lecture and discussion on passenger safety and parent concerns and a demonstration on 

safety seat installation. The training provides answers 

about provider liability, safe transportation practices and 

guidelines for children in childcare programs. 

Instructors are required to be NHTSA-Certified Child 

Safety Seat technicians. In addition, the training provides continuing education credits. 

The course is part of the Healthy Child Care America 

Campaign, which is coordinated by the American 

Academy of Pediatrics and supported by the National 

Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services Child Care 

Bureau and Maternal Child Health Bureau. 

Some key Web sites for 

information on child passenger 

and driver safety. 

TM Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign 

www.nsc.org 

TM American Academy of Pediatrics 

www.aap.org 

TM Mothers Against Drunk Driving 

www.madd.org 

TM National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration (NHTSA) 

www.nhtsa.dot.gov 

Presidential Initiative to Increase Seat Belt Use Nationwide 

This initiative is an ambitious safety seat and seat belt effort to safe lives, reduce health care costs and 

prevent fatalities and injuries related to motor vehicle crashes. The goals are to 

TM Increase national seat belt use to 85 percent by 2000 and 90 percent by 2005 

TM Reduce child occupant fatalities for 0—4-year-olds by 15 percent in 2000 and by 25 percent in 2005 

This initiative is proven effective in increasing seat belt and safety seat usage when the following 

four elements are combined: 

TM Building partnerships between public and private sectors 

TM Enacting strong legislation on passenger and driver safety 

TM Having an active and highly visible enforcement plan 

TM Conducting effective public education strategies 

National Latino Children’s Institute 31 
NHTSA Regional Offices

The National Highway Traffic Safety 

Administration has ten regional offices that provide numerous services to the states and other 

public and private sector customers, including 

technical assistance, promoting legislation, 

administering the agency’s grant programs, 

assisting in coalition building and delivering 

training. 

REGION I 

(CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) 

Volpe National Transportation Systems Center 

Kendall Square, Code 903 

Cambridge, MA 02142 

Phone: 617/494-3427 

Fax: 617/494-3646 

REGION II 

(NY, NJ, PR, VI) 

222 Mamaroneck Avenue, Suite 204 

White Plains, NY 10605 

Phone: 914/682-6162 

Fax: 914/682-6239 

REGION III 

(DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV) 

10 South Howard Street, Suite 4000 

Baltimore, MD 21201 

Phone: 410/962-0077 

Fax: 410/962-2770 

REGION IV 

(AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN) 

Atlanta Federal Center 

61 Forsyth Street, Suite 17T30 

Atlanta, GA 30303-3104 

Phone: 404/562-3739 

Fax: 404/562-3763 

REGION V 

(IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI) 

19900 Governors Drive, Suite 201 

Olympia Fields, IL 60461 

Phone: 708/503-8822 

Fax: 708/503-8991

REGION VI 

(AR, LA, NM, OK, TX, INDIAN NATIONS) 

819 Taylor Street, Room 8A38 

Fort Worth, TX 76102-6177 

Phone: 817/978-3653 

Fax: 817/978-8339 

REGION VII 

(IA, KS, MO, NE) 

6301 Rockhill Road, Room 100 

Kansas City, MO 64131 

Phone: 816/822-7233 

Fax: 816/822-2069 

REGION VIII 

(CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY) 

555 Zang Street, Room 430 

Lakewood, CO 80228 

Phone: 303/969-6917 

Fax: 303/969-6294 

REGION IX 

(AZ, CA, HI, NV, AMERICAN SAMOA, GUAM, 

N. MARIANA ISLANDS) 

201 Mission Street, Suite 2230 

San Francisco, CA 

Phone: 415/744-3089 

Fax: 415/744-2532 

REGION X 

(AK, ID, OR, WA) 

3140 Jackson Federal Building 

915 Second Street 

Seattle, WA 98174 

Phone: 206/220-7640 

Fax: 206/220-7651

32 Corazón de mi vida 
State Highway Safety Offices 

The governors’ highway safety representatives 

manage each state’s highway safety program and 

serve as liaisons between the governor and the 

highway safety community. They also work 

closely with NHTSA on the administration of 

federal highway safety grant programs. These 

professionals and their staffs are a great resource 

for all highway safety issues. 

Alabama Law Enforcement/Traffic Safety Division 

Dept. of Economic and Community Affairs 

PO Box 5690 

401 Adams Avenue, Suite 580 

Montgomery, AL 36103-5690 

Phone: 334/242-5803 Fax: 334/242-0712 

Alaska Highway Safety Planning Agency 

Department of Public Safety 

PO Box 111200 

Juneau, AK 99811-1200 

Phone: 907/465-4374 Fax: 907/463-5860 

American Samoa Department of Public Safety 

PO Box 1086 

Pago Pago, AS 96799 

Phone: 011-684-633-1111 Fax: 011-684-633-5111

Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety 

Department of Public Safety 

3030 N. Central St., Suite 1550 

Phoenix, AZ 85012 

Phone: 602/255-3216 Fax: 602/255-1265 

Arkansas Highway Safety Program 

Highway and Transportation Department 

PO Box 2261, 11300 Baseline Road 

Little Rock, AR 72203 

Phone: 501/569-2648 Fax: 501/569-2651 

California Office of Traffic Safety 

Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency 

7000 Franklin Blvd., Suite 440 

Sacramento, CA 95823 

Phone: 916/262-0990 Fax: 916/262-2960 

Colorado Office of Transportation Safety 

Department of Transportation 

Headquarters Complex 

4201 East Arkansas Avenue 

Denver, CO 80222 

Phone: 303/757-9381 Fax: 303/757-9439 

Connecticut Division of Highway Safety 

Department of Transportation 

2800 Berlin Tpk., PO Box 317546 

Newington, CT 06131-7546 

Phone: 860/594-2370 Fax: 860/594-2374 

Delaware Office of Highway Safety 

Department of Public Safety 

PO Box 1321 

Dover, DE 19903-1321 

Phone: 302/739-3295 Fax: 302/739-5995 

DC Transportation Safety Branch 

Department of Public Works 

2000 14th Street, NW, 7th Floor 

Washington, DC 20009 

Phone: 202/939-8018 Fax: 202/939-7185 

Florida Safety Office 

Department of Transportation 

605 Suwannee Street, MS 53 

Tallahassee, FL 32399-0450 

Phone: 904/488-3546 Fax: 904/922-2935 

Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety 

One Park Tower 

34 Peachtree Street, Suite 1600 

Atlanta, GA 30303 

Phone: 404/656-6996 Fax: 404/651-9107 

Guam Office of Highway Safety 

Department of Public Works 

PO Box 2950 

Agana, GU 96910 

Phone: 011-671-646-3211 Fax: 011-671-646-3733 

Hawaii Motor Vehicle Safety Office 

Department of Transportation 

1505 Dillingham Blvd., Suite 214 

Honolulu, HI 96817 

Phone: 808/832-5820 Fax: 808/832-5830 

Idaho Office of Highway Safety 

Transportation Department 

PO Box 7129, 3311 West State St. 

Boise, ID 83707-1129 

Phone: 208/334-8101 Fax: 208/334-4430 

Illinois Division of Traffic Safety 

Department of Transportation 

PO Box 19245 

3215 Executive Park Drive 

Springfield, IL 62794-9245 

Phone: 217/782-4972 Fax: 217/782-9159 

Indian Highway Safety Program 

Bureau of Indian Affairs 

Department of the Interior 

505 Marquette, NW, Suite 1705 

Albuquerque, NM 87102-2181 

Phone: 505/248-5053 Fax: 505/248-5064 

Indiana Governor’s Council on Impaired 

and Dangerous Driving 

150 West Market Street, Suite 330 

Indianapolis, IN 46204 

Phone: 317/232-4220 Fax: 317/232-5150 

National Latino Children’s Institute 33 
Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau 

Department of Public Safety 

307 East Seventh Street 

Des Moines, IA 50319-0248 

Phone: 515/281-3907 Fax: 515/281-6190 

Kansas Bureau of Traffic Safety 

Thacher Building, 3rd Floor 

217 SE 4th Street 

Topeka, KS 66603-3504 

Phone: 913/296-3756 Fax: 913/291-3010 

Kentucky Hwy. Safety Standards Branch 

State Police Headquarters 

919 Versailles Road 

Frankfort, KY 40601 

Phone: 502/695-6356 Fax: 502/573-1634 

Louisiana Hwy. Safety Commission 

Department of Public Safety 

PO Box 66336 

Baton Rouge, LA 70896 

Phone: 504/925-6991 Fax: 504/922-0083 

Maine Bureau of Highway Safety 

Department of Public Safety 

164 State House Station 

Augusta, ME 04333-0164 

Phone: 207/624-8756 Fax: 207/624-8768 

Mariana Island Department of Public Safety, CNMI 

PO Box 791 

Saipan, MP 96950 

Phone: 670/034-6505 Fax: 670/234-8531 

Maryland Office of Traffic and Safety 

State Highway Administration 

7491 Connelley Drive 

Hanover, MD 21076 

Phone: 410/787-5822 Fax: 410/787-5823 

Massachusetts Governor’s Highway Safety Bureau 

100 Cambridge Street, Room 2104 

Boston, MA 02202 

Phone: 617/727-5073 Fax: 617/727-5077 

Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning 

4000 Collins Road, PO Box 30633 

Lansing, MI 48909-8133 

Phone: 517/333-5291 

Fax: 517/333-5756 

Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety 

Department of Public Safety 

Town Square, Suite 150 

444 Cedar Street 

St. Paul, MN 55101-2150 

Phone: 612/296-9507 Fax: 612/297-4844 

Mississippi Office of Highway Safety 

Department of Public Safety 

PO Box 23039 

401 North West Street, 8th Floor 

Jackson, MS 39225-3039 

Phone: 601/359-7842 Fax: 601/359-7832 

Missouri Division of Highway Safety 

1719 Southridge Drive 

PO Box 104808 

Jefferson City, MO 65110-4808 

Phone: 573/751-7643 Fax: 573/634-5977 

Montana Traffic Safety Bureau 

Department of Transportation 

2701 Prospect Avenue 

Helena, MT 59620 

Phone: 406/444-7301 Fax: 406/444-7303 

Nebraska Office of Highway Safety 

Department of Motor Vehicles 

PO Box 94612 

301 Centennial Mall South 

Lincoln, NE 68509-4789 

Phone: 402/471-2515 Fax: 402/471-3865 

Nevada Office of Traffic Safety 

Dept. of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety 

555 Wright Way 

Carson City, NV 89711-0900 

Phone: 702/687-3243 Fax: 702/687-5328 

New Hampshire Highway Safety Agency 

Pine Inn Plaza, 117 Manchester St. 

Concord, NH 03301 

Phone: 603/271-2131 Fax: 603/271-3790 

New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety 

Department of Law and Public Safety 

PO Box 048 

Trenton, NJ 08625-0048 

Phone: 609/633-9300 Fax: 609/633-9020 

New Mexico Traffic Safety Bureau 

State Hwy. and Transportation Dept. 

PO Box 1149 

Santa Fe, NM 87504-1149 

Phone: 505/827-0429 Fax: 505/827-0431 

New York State Governor’s Highway Safety Committee 

Empire State Plaza 

Swan Street Bldg., Room 521 

Albany, NY 12228 

Phone: 518/474-0858 Fax: 518/473-1069 

North Dakota Dept. of Transportation 

608 East Boulevard Avenue 

Bismarck, ND 58505-0700 

Phone: 701/328-2601 Fax: 701/328-2435 

34 Corazón de mi vida 
Ohio Office of the Governor’s Highway 

Safety Representative 

Department of Public Safety 

PO Box 7167, 240 Parsons Avenue 

Columbus, OH 43205-0167 

Phone: 614/466-7076 Fax: 614/466-0433 

Oklahoma Highway Safety Office 

3223 North Lincoln 

Oklahoma City, OK 73105 

Phone: 405/521-3314 Fax: 405/524-4906 

Oregon Transportation Safety Section 

Department of Transportation 

555 13th Street, NE 

Salem, OR 97310-1333 

Phone: 503/986-4192 Fax: 503/986-4189 

Pennsylvania Bureau of Highway & Traffic Engineering 

PO Box 2047 

Harrisburg, PA 17105-2047 

Phone: 717/787-7350 Fax: 717/783-8012 

Puerto Rico Traffic Safety Commission 

Department of Public Works 

Box 41289, Minillas Station 

Santurce, PR 00940 

Phone: 787/723-3590 Fax: 787/727-0486 

Rhode Island Governor’s Office of Highway Safety 

345 Harris Avenue 

Providence, RI 02909 

Phone: 401/277-3024 Fax: 401/277-3942 

South Carolina Office of Safety and Grants 

Department of Public Safety 

5400 Broad River Road 

Columbia, SC 29210 

Phone: 803/896-8391 Fax: 803/896-8393 

South Dakota Office of Highway Safety 

Dept. of Commerce and Regulation 

118 West Capital 

Pierre, SD 57501 

Phone: 605/773-3178 Fax: 605/773-3018 

Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Program 

Department of Transportation 

505 Deaderick Street, Suite 600 

James K. Polk State Office Bldg. 

Nashville, TN 37243-0341 

Phone: 615/741-7590 Fax: 615/741-9673 

Texas Traffic Operations Division 

Department of Transportation 

125 East 11th Street 

Austin, TX 78701-2483 

Phone: 512/416-3167 Fax: 512/416-3349 

Utah Highway Safety Office 

Department of Public Safety 

411 West, 7200 South, Suite 300 

Midvale, UT 84047-1016 

Phone: 801/225-0573 Fax: 801/225-0823 

Vermont Governor’s Highway Safety Program 

Department of Public Safety 

103 South Main Street 

Waterbury, VT 05671-2101 

Phone: 802/244-4126 Fax: 802/244-1106 

Virginia Transportation Safety Office 

Department of Motor Vehicles 

PO Box 27412, 2300 W. Broad St. 

Richmond, VA 23269 

Phone: 804/367-8140 Fax: 804/367-6631 

Virgin Islands Office of Highway Safety 

Governor’s Representative 

Lagoon Street Complex, Fredricksted 

St. Croix, VI 00840 

Phone: 809/776-5820 Fax: 809/772-2626 

Washington Traffic Safety Commission 

PO Box 40944, 1000 South Cherry St. 

Olympia, WA 98504-0944 

Phone: 360/753-6197 Fax: 360/586-6489 

West Virginia Governor’s Highway Safety Program 

The Miller Building 

2 Hale Street, Suite 100 

Charleston, WV 25301 

Phone: 304/558-8814 Fax: 304/558-0391 

Wisconsin Bureau of Transportation Safety 

Department of Transportation 

PO Box 7936 

4802 Sheboygan Ave., Suite 809 

Madison, WI 53707 

Phone: 608/266-0402 Fax: 608/267-0441 

Wyoming Highway Safety Program 

Transportation Department 

PO Box 1708 

Cheyenne, WY 82003-1708 

Phone: 307/777-4450 Fax: 307/777-4250 

National Latino Children’s Institute 35