AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Dec. 7 /PRNewswire/
-- DaimlerChrysler Corporation has become the first automaker ever in
the 33-year history of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to
receive the "exceed expectations" status from the safety agency
for its response to a safety recommendation. The NTSB granted
DaimlerChrysler this historic distinction for its groundbreaking Fit for a
Kid child safety seat inspection service, which this month became
available in all 50 states.
The unprecedented safety status was given to DaimlerChrysler as the
NTSB officially closed its Safety Recommendation H-99-3 to the automaker.
That recommendation included a call for all automakers and others to
combat the dangerous and widespread problem of child safety seat misuse by
supporting and establishing child safety seat fitting stations nationwide.
The recommendation remains open for all other recipients. "With the establishment of Fit for a Kid-its free child safety
seat service-DaimlerChrysler Corporation surpasses what we hoped for, in
terms of quality and scope, and does so at no cost to families," said
Jim Hall, acting chairman of the NTSB. "DaimlerChrysler's Fit for a
Kid sets a standard for the auto industry worldwide. It delivers a
much-needed lifesaving service to American families in a manner fully
responsive to the Safety Board's recommendation." Hall noted that the five-member Board voted unanimously to grant the
"exceeds expectations" status to DaimlerChrysler, although that
designation has never been bestowed on any automaker in the history of the
NTSB. Of more than 10,000 NTSB recommendations made, only 18 have been
closed with the status "exceeds expectations." "As the NTSB closes its recommendation, DaimlerChrysler makes Fit
for a Kid available to the vast majority of the American families at over
700 locations in all 50 states," said Sue Cischke, senior vice
president, regulatory affairs and passenger car operations,
DaimlerChrysler Corporation. "Making Fit for a Kid available in every
state has taken a tremendous amount of hard work by our dedicated
partners, employees, dealers and inspectors. Keeping kids safe is our gift
to all children and families." Fit for a Kid is a free child safety seat inspection service offered to
anyone by appointment at participating Chrysler/Jeep®/Dodge dealers.
DaimlerChrysler Corporation delivers the Fit for a Kid service in a
partnership with Fisher-Price and with the support of the National Safety
Council (NSC). Families can find a nearby Fit for a Kid dealer by calling
toll free 1-877-FIT-4-A-KID or clicking on the Web site http://www.fitforakid.org/. Fit for a Kid addresses a serious problem. It is believed that eight
out of every ten children riding in child safety seats are not buckled in
right. The NTSB estimates that everyday 10 million children are riding in
incorrectly restrained child safety seats and are at risk of serious
injury or death in the event of a crash. Launched less than a year ago, Fit for a Kid is now available at 707
Chrysler/Jeep®/ Dodge dealerships in 142 U.S. markets. Nevada and Vermont
were the last two states to be trained in the service. Through an
intensive year-round training schedule led by the NSC, now nearly 1,250
inspectors have been trained through the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administrations' child passenger safety curriculum and certified by the
American Automobile Association (AAA). Since the February 2000 national launch of Fit for a Kid, nearly 20,000
children have had their car seats inspected for proper fit and
installation through participating Chrysler/Jeep®/Dodge dealers. Already,
seven of these children have the service to thank for protecting them in a
crash. SOURCE: DaimlerChrysler Corporation WEB SITE: http://www.fitforakid.org/ CO: DaimlerChrysler Corporation; National Transportation Safety Board ST: Michigan
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