Safe on Saturday Event Details Announced

Safe Kids Greater Dayton, led by Dayton Children's, is hosting the 16th annual Safe on Saturday on Saturday, March 20, in partnership with the Parents Advancing Choice in Education (PACE) School and Community EXPO. The event will be held from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at Sinclair Community College, Building 12.


Safe on Saturday is a free day of fun and safety education for children and their families in the Miami Valley.

Activities include:

• A bike safety station giving education and free helmets (quantities limited).
• The child passenger safety room focusing on Ohio’s new booster seat law with an opportunity for those who qualify to receive a free booster seat and education (quantities limited).
• The Franklin Fire Department’s Hazard House teaching children to recognize safety hazards in the home.
• The Dayton Children’s Teddy Bear Clinic welcoming children ages 4 through 12 and their favorite stuffed animal to learn about visiting the doctor.
• Kohl’s A Minute of Kids education stations covering burn prevention and dog bite safety.
• Many other safety stations covering topics such as poison safety, pedestrian safety, helmet safety, fire prevention, and much more!

The PACE School and Community EXPO will feature educational opportunities for every age – public schools, private schools, charter schools, faith-based schools, tutorial programs, after-school care options, supplemental education services, colleges and universities, adult education programs and much more! The EXPO is free to the public and will help parents and visitors make informed choices regarding education and provide an opportunity to find out what is available in the Greater Dayton community.

For more information about Safe on Saturday, call Dayton Children's at 937-641-3385.

It’s Time to Talk to Your Teen About Safe Driving

National Teen Driver Safety Week (NTDSW), October 18 – 24, has been designated by Congress as a time for communities, schools and families to raise awareness and provide solutions to teen driver crashes, the leading cause of death for teens in the U.S.

We encourage parents to talk with their teens about the risks associated with driving and to set clear expectations for teen drivers and passengers. Here are 5 tips to get the conversation started:

1. Absolutely No Alcohol. Teen drivers (ages 15-20) are at far greater risk of death in crashes where alcohol was present than the rest of us, even though they cannot legally purchase or possess alcohol.
2. Seat belts: Always Buckle Up! Teens buckle up far less frequently than adults do. The very first thing you can do is to be a role model for your children by buckling yourself up every time you get in the car. When your teen is ready to drive, remind them that whether they are driving across town or just around the neighborhood, wearing seat belts is the absolute best way to protect themselves and their passengers from severe injury or even death in the event of a crash.
3. Cell phone/texting: No talking or texting while driving. Talk to your teen drivers about the risks of talking, texting and other distractions, and set clear expectations about driving habits. Distracted driving results in a slower response rate which could be deadly to a pedestrian or a driver.
4. Curfew: Have the Car in the Driveway by 10 p.m. Talk to your teen driver about when you expect them to have the car back in the driveway. The reason for setting a “home-by” rule is to protect your kids by keeping them from driving during the high-risk nighttime hours.
5. Passengers: No more than one at all times Research shows that the risk of a fatal crash goes up in direct relation to the number of teenagers in the car. Non-adult passengers can be a dangerous and fatal distraction for young novice drivers. Also teach your child to be an considerate passenger who doesn’t distract the driver.

And remember, it's also extremely important to lead by example. Follow the rules of the road. Always wear a seat belt, don’t talk on a cell phone while driving and don’t speed. Your child watches your every move.