Tech Update – March 2005

NATIONAL LIFESAVERS 2006 COMING TO AUSTIN, TX

Mark your calendars—the National Lifesavers 2006 Conference is coming to Austin, Texas, April 9-11, 2006. The conference will take place at the Austin Convention Center, and hotel headquarters are at the Downtown Hilton in Austin. Watch for other hotel information in future Tech Updates. Make plans to attend the conference and secure room reservations as soon as possible.

Lifesavers is the premier national highway safety meeting in the United States dedicated to reducing the tragic toll of deaths and injuries on our nation’s roadways. Starting in the early 1980s, the Lifesavers Conference attendance has grown steadily, drawing over 1,800 registrants in 2004. Each year, the Lifesavers Conference has become even more relevant and timely, providing a forum that delivers common-sense solutions to today’s critical highway safety problems.

The conference addresses a wide range of safety topics, from child passenger safety and occupant protection to roadway and vehicle safety and technology. It offers the latest information on advances in highway safety, highlights successful programs and draws attention to emerging safety issues.

Many workshops in child passenger safety will be offered. This is a wonderful opportunity for Texas technicians to be involved with first-hand new developments and problems solutions in CPS.

CPS HIGHLIGHTS AT LIFESAVERS 2005 CONFERENCE

CPS Certification

  1. The new 8-hour Certification Renewal Course for previously certified, expired technicians will be available starting September 1, 2005. Registration for listed courses will be available August 1, 2005. Passenger Safety will be offering the 8-hour Certification Renewal Course in September (see details under CPS Training Opportunities)
  2. Improvements to the online system effective August 1 include:
    • Individual profiles will include payment status, registration, testing, customer service status and history
    • Ability to modify username and password
    • Ability to retrieve username and password online without having to contact customer service

Workshop Information from Lifesavers 2005 Conference Available Online

If you are interested in seeing some of the information presented at this year’s Lifesavers Conference held March 13–15, 2005 in Charlotte, NC, many of the presentations offered at conference workshops are available for download from their website. Go to: http://www.lifesaversconference.org/workshop.htm.

CPS RE-CERTIFICATION NEWS

Remember—do not wait until the last minute to recertify. You can begin the recertification process four months before your expiration date. Approved seat check activity must be completed before registering for recertification. Technicians should be attending checkup events and getting instructors to sign-off on the needed installations during their two-year certification period. If you need to find an instructor to assist with recertification, go to: http://buckleup.tamu.edu to locate the nearest instructor.

Tips for Taking the Recertification Test

First, check the certification website for detailed instructions. Go to: http://www.safekids.org/certification/

  • After completing your seat check activity, and payment, you will be able to register to take recertification exam. It may take up to a week to be assigned an access code for the test.
  • There will be 30 days (a recent change from 10 days) to complete the test from the date that access code is issued. This date will be specified on the e-mail/letter that contains your access code.
  • Have the latest curriculum handy, the 2004 version can be downloaded in PDF format from http://www.cpsboard.org Remember, all answers are based on this curriculum rather than other CPS information that may have been seen or read elsewhere.
  • Use a PC, not a Mac.
  • Use Internet Explorer, not Netscape or any other browser.
  • Take the short demonstration test offered online, go to: http://www.testrac.com/ttonline.
  • Turn off all pop-up blockers. In Internet Explorer, go to TOOLS, then, POP-UP BLOCKER, then, SETTINGS.
  • When taking the test, it is permissible to log-on and off as often as necessary. Questions can be skipped (marked for review) and topics can be looked up in the manual or discussed with a colleague or mentor.
  • If more than one answer seems to be correct, re-read the question to make sure it is understood what is being asked. Choose the answer that is most appropriate.
  • If needed, you can call the certification customer service telephone number at 877-366-8154

Source: Safe Ride News, January/February 2005

NEW CHILD RESTRAINTS PRODUCTS

  • Cosco Traveler is a 2-piece high-back booster, but the backrest must be installed and used.
  • Evenflo Embrace is a new infant-only seat for babies 5-22 pounds. It has a carry handle, detachable base, 5-point harness, 3 sets of harness strap slots and 2 crotch slots.
  • Evenflo Generations is a combination seat certified for 20-40 lbs. with the harness and 30-100 lbs. as a booster. The harness is adjusted with one of the knobs on each side of the seat. When it is used as a booster, a guide in the adjustable headrest is used to position the shoulder belt.
  • Apex 65 High Back Booster Seat from Dorel/Cosco/Safety 1 st . Combination seat with harness to 65 lbs., BPB to 100 lbs. (see information below under Child Restrains for Children Over 40#s).
  • New products from Lenox Juvenile Group are, the TattleTale Convertible Car Seat for children 5 to 40 lbs., and the TattleTale Toddler/Booster Car Seat , used with a harness 20-40 lbs. or as a booster 40-80 lbs. Both seats have a 5 point harness and front adjuster strap. The battery-operated monitoring system sends a warning if the vehicle belt is too loose, the harness is unbuckled, or the child starts to climb out of the seat.

Source: SafeyBeltSafeUSA, January 2005

CHILD RESTRAINTS FOR CHILDREN OVER 40#S

  • Dorel/Cosco/Safety 1 st is introducing the Apex 65 High Back Booster Seat , “Extended use” harness system—22–65 lbs. with harness and up to 100 lbs as BPB. The Cosco Apex 65 harness/booster should be available to ship by early to mid-May.  Retail price $130-140. Wholesale price around $103.
    • Contact and information:
      • Dorel: http://www.safety1st.com
      • Mercury Distributing: 800-815-6330
      • National Safety Resources: 800-620-2268
      • Prevention Alternatives, Inc.: 517-927-7731
  • The Kid Y Harness, for children 40-80 (no back booster), and 30–80 (with high back booster) is used with the Ride Ryte Booster. This is the only crash tested and approved combination system of a booster seat and separate harness.
  • The RideSafer Travel Vest made by Safe Traffic Systems, Inc. is available in two sizes. The smaller version (Model 100LGB) is for children 35–60 lbs. and the larger version (Model 200DGB) is for children 50–80 lbs. A special order dual top tether is needed for children over 60 lbs. It can be used with lap belts only or lap/shoulder belts. For use with lap belts only, a tether must be used.
  • Graco is working on a 65-lb harness/booster, but no details about availability or price.
  • Evenflo is working on a 65-lb harness/booster which it hoped to release this year. However, it now looks as though it will be 2006 before the product is ready.

TECHNICIANS AND SCHOOL BUSES

Many technicians are getting questions from school transportation staff asking for assistance with installing child safety seats on school buses. Because the installation of car seats on a school bus is very different than in passenger vehicles, it best to contact the office of the Texas Department of Public Safety that specializes in school bus transportation issues. Contact information for the Program Administrator is as follows:

Charley Kennington
Program Administrator
School Bus Transportation
1617 East Crest Drive
Waco, Tx 76705-1598
254-759-7111
254-759-7238 fax
E-mail: charley.kennington@txdps.state.tx.us

The DPS School Bus Transportation division offers an 8-hour training for school bus personnel as well as others who are interested in learning how to select and install a child safety seat on a school bus. They will be offering a newly developed 4-hour course for technicians only in Waco on May 3, 2005. This course will focus on the installation issues in a school bus. Please contact Charley Kennington for details.

TRANSPORTING SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN

The Riley Hospital in Indiana which has had a CPS special needs training course available for several years, has established a toll free number for questions about transporting children with special needs. When assisting parents with special needs children, please feel free to call the Riley Hospital’s National Center for Safe Transportation of Children with Special Healthcare Needs at 800-755-0912.

PROMOTE NHTSA’S BUCKLE UP IN YOUR TRUCK/ CLICK IT OR TICKET CAMPAIGN

CPS Technicians can promote NHTSA’s Buckle Up In Your Truck campaign, which is targeting male pickup truck occupants ages 15–34 who are not consistently wearing their safety belts. Since pickups are twice as likely to roll as passenger vehicles, this is a dangerous situation. Resources including flyers and PSAs to promote this campaign are available at: http://buckleupinyourtruck.com or by contacting Passenger Safety at 979-862-1782. Rodeos, stock shows and safety fairs are excellent times to promote this campaign and help to save a life.

There will be a Click It or Ticket mobilization with increased enforcement of the safety belt and child restraint laws for Memorial Day weekend. This enforcement and media effort will run from May 23 through June 5, 2005. The goal is to increase safety belt usage in Texas and to reduce injuries and deaths from traffic crashes. /p>

UPDATE ON PROPOSED LEGISLATION

House Bill 183 proposes to increase the age for child restraints to eight years of age or less than 57 inches in height. This bill went through a committee review on March 22, 2005. No vote has been taken yet. About 10 persons testified in favor of the bill, including representatives from TMPA , UT , hospitals and others. The presentation and testimony for the bill was very well done. It can be viewed at http://www.house.state.tx.us/committees/broadcasts.php?session=79&cmte=470  To find out how to help with this or similar legislation in the Texas Senate, contact Susan Douglass at sdouglass@uhs-sa.com

House Bill 366 would increase the age for child restraints from the current 4 years or under 36" in height to cover children younger than 5 years and less than 36". This bill has moved out of committee and gone to the next step in the process.

CPS WEBSITE OFFERS INTERACTIVE INFO IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in partnership with State Farm Insurance has introduced its new Spanish version of its interactive website to assist parents with their child safety seat needs. Both the English and Spanish versions provide excellent child safety seat information for parents including videos that explain installation.

Visit it at: http://www.chop.edu/consumer/jsp/division/generic.jsp?id=77971 (there is a link to the Spanish version).

CPS TRAINING OPPORTUNITES

CPS-6-Hr. Update Class

The 2003 version of the National SAFE KIDS CPS Update Class is an opportunity for currently certified technicians to get up-to-date information in this ever changing field. It also provides an opportunity for technicians who need to have an instructor sign off on their seat installations at the checkup event following the class. The following courses are being offered by Safe Riders:

  • April 21, 2005 – Temple, Texas, 9:00 am–1:30 pm followed by a 3 hour checkup event
  • April 27, 2005 – Paris, Texas, 9:00 am–1:30 pm followed by a 3 hour checkup event

For information, contact Johnny Humphreys at Johnny.Humphreys@dshs.state.tx.us or call at 800-252-8255.

4-Day CPS Technician Trainings

8-Hour Renewal Course Offered in College Station in September

The 8-Hour Certification Renewal Course is offered for previously certified technicians who have let their certifications expire. After successfully completing the 8-Hour course, technicians must go online and register to take the 100 question re-certification exam. After completing the exam with a grade of 85 or above, certification will be re-instated.

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Last updated: 26 July, 2010

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