Project to reverse trend of driveway run-overs

Media are advised that Berenice Langson of the New Zealand Child Safety Foundation will be speaking at the Injury Prevention Network of Aotearoa New Zealand Conference on the “Home Driveway Run-over Prevention Project”.

11:15am, Thursday 8 October
Hoani Waititi Marae,
Waitakere City

This presentation includes a number of points that may be of interest to the media:

*There is an increasing trend of driveway run-overs for toddlers. New Zealand is a world leader in terms of child pedestrian injury; 25 percent occurring on driveways. The project aims to reduce the number of driveway run-overs throughout New Zealand.

*A driveway run-over fatality is a life sentence of guilt for the driver. Even if the accident does not result in a fatality, 10 percent of those who survive have lifelong disability.

*The project has been encouraging local authorities to consider this injury issue as well as raising awareness among family support providers of driveway run-over risk factors.

*A resource kit has been developed to engage all at risk communities.
*The kit has been demonstrated throughout Auckland at community events since 2007, and un-official data from Starship Hospital indicates that driveway run-over injuries has decreased.

*A media awareness campaign will be undertaken as part of the project.
*Berenice Langson will demonstrate the driveway run-over kit that will prove all vehicles have ‘blind spots’ and highlight the distance ‘blind spots’ can cover.

The conference is on from Wednesday 7 October – Friday 9 October at the Hoani Waititi Marae, Waitakere City, Auckland.

More information about the Injury Prevention Network of Aotearoa New Zealand (IPNANZ) Conference, including a programme, can be found on the conference page of the IPNANZ website: http://www.ipnanz.org.nz/page.php?p=128&fp=103.

ENDS

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