MileOne Autogroup Distributes Car Seats to Families in Need

MileOne Autogroup, in partnership with various nonprofits in its service areas, gave away car seats to families in need in recognition of Child Passenger Safety Week, Sept. 18-24. Throughout the week, families received car seats and heard from Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians, who provided information on all aspects of the car seats, including proper harnessing and installation. MileOne Autogroup distributed approximately 200 car seats over the five events held in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia while helping area families receive the training necessary to keep their children safe.

Partners for this weeklong effort included Buckle Up for Life, a national injury prevention program for families, created by Toyota and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in 2004, to help keep child passengers safe, as well as Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital (Baltimore, Md); the Traffic Injury Prevention Project (TIPP) and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Pennsylvania State Police and Wilkes-Barre City Fire Department and State Police (Wilkes-Barre, Pa); Penn State Health Children’s Hospital and Lower Paxton Police Department (Harrisburg, Pa); the Virginia Beach Fire Department and Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters Trauma Services (Virginia Beach, Va); and Maryland Kids in Safety Seats.

During Child Passenger Safety Week, parents and caregivers are urged to protect their child’s future at every stage of life, by making sure they secure them in the correct car seat for their age, height, and weight. According to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), traffic crashes continue to be a leading cause of death of children ages 1 to 4. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notes that about 5,000 children are involved in car crashes in the United States each year, and 42% of children killed are unrestrained. The NHTSA also estimates that child safety seats reduce fatal injury by 71% for infants younger than a year old and 54% for toddlers in passenger vehicles.

From September 2022 to the end of the year, MileOne Autogroup aims to distribute approximately 500 car seats valued at approximately $50,000 across its Hall, Herb Gordon, Heritage and MotorWorld divisions. This initiative is made possible by MileOneCares, the newly launched corporate giving program of MileOne Autogroup, which primarily focuses on transportation-related initiatives and strengthening the communities in which MileOne Autogroup dealerships are located. Those interested in learning more and registering for future car seat events can visit www.mileonecares.com.