EAST CENTRAL SAFE KIDS CHAPTER TO SPONSOR CAR SEAT CHECK

February 7, 2002

WHAT: The East Central chapter of SAFE KIDS Coalition, sponsored by the MCG Children's Medical Center, is offering a free car seat safety check. The event is co-sponsored by Master's Pontiac Buick GMC.

WHEN: Saturday, February 16 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: Master's Pontiac Buick GMC, Inc. at 3710 Washington Road in Augusta.

WHY: SAFE KIDS is dedicated to decreasing the morbidity and mortality of children from birth to 14 years of age as a result of unintentional injury. Unintentional injury is the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in children this age. A recent SAFE KIDS study showed that 33 percent of children ages 14 and under ride in the wrong type of restraint for their age and size. Recent data from the Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network project indicate inappropriately restrained children are nearly three and a half times more likely to suffer a severe injury in a crash. More than half of children killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2000 were completely unrestrained.

MCG HealthCare is the health system of the Medical College of Georgia and is comprised of MCG Health, Inc. and the clinical services offered by the faculty of the School of Medicine and the members of the Physicians Practice Group. MCG Health, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation operating the MCG Hospitals and Clinics, Children's Medical Center, the Georgia Radiation Therapy Center and related clinical facilities and services. MCG Health, Inc. was formed to support the research and education mission of the Medical College of Georgia and to build the economic growth of the CSRA, the state of Georgia and the Southeast by offering the highest level of primary and specialty health care.

For more information, contact:
Steven Padgett
Media Relations Manager
MCG Health, Inc.
(706) 721-9566