Media Release: Friday 10 August 2007

Driveway runover prevention resource to be launched

An average of two toddlers are admitted to Starship Hospital every month as a result of a being run over on a residential driveway.

Manukau city has one of the highest rates of driveway runover incidents. Injury Free Counties Manukau, supported by Manukau City Council, is launching a resource kit for parents with young children, to create awareness about this hazard.

This resource kit has been developed by a regional project in Auckland – Driveway Runover Prevention Project (DRoPP), comprising Injury Free Counties Manukau, Child Safety Foundation, Communities Living Injury Free (Auckland City), Auckland District Health Board, Safe Waitakere and Plunket Society.

This resource is being launched next week in Manukau:
Where: Fetu’umoana Tongan Catholic Preschool, Fairview Rd, Papatoetoe
When: Thursday 16 August, 10am

This resource will be issued to parents across the Auckland region, at their baby’s nine-month “Well Child Check”. The resource was produced through focus group consultation with the community in each area and the cost will be shared regionally.

The project aims to create awareness about off-road environments, such as homes with shared driveways, wooden fences and public car parks, which pose a significant risk to child pedestrians under the age of five. The DRoPP group aims to prevent families from experiencing the traumatic event of a child being run over in their home driveway.

ENDS

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