Sesame Street Kidsafe TAC

Sesame Street, Kidsafe (the Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Australia), and the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) have combined in a campaign to improve parental awareness on child restraints

The new relationship will be fronted by Sesame Street's boisterous blue monster, Grover, in his role as Road Safety Ambassador in support of the UN's Decade of Action for Road Safety.

 

Left: Scott Chambers, Senior Vice President, World Wide Media Distribution Sesame Workshop;
Sesame Street fan three year old Edie and The Hon. Terry Mulder, Victorian Minister for Roads
with Elmo and Cookie Monster at the announcement.  

Photography Georgia Baynes-Smith  

The Victorian Minister for Roads, The Hon. Terry Mulder was joined by Sesame Street favorites Cookie Monster and Elmo, at Parliament House, to announce this important effort.

The Sesame Street duo is in Australia for the 42nd season of Sesame Street which enjoys a worldwide audience in 150 countries.

Mr Mulder said, "Research shows that correctly fitted and used child restraints and booster seats can reduce child death and serious injury when involved in a road crash."

"With 70,568 births registered in Victoria in 2010 (ABS), annually, many thousands of parents are faced with making a decision on which child restraint is the most appropriate for their child."

Minister Mulder praised the involvement of Sesame Street, saying that for over forty years in 150 countries, the program had been a household name, instrumental in creating and promoting positive information for children to increase their well-being.

Kidsafe, TAC and Sesame Street plan to develop a campaign featuring Grover in a community service announcement to promote key safety messages about the correct installation and operation of child restraints to maximise safety.

Robert Knezevic, Vice President International Project Manager Sesame Workshop said, "The Decade of Action is a critical opportunity for a coordinated response among our global partners to mobilise media to promote road safety awareness among road users, especially families with young children."

Robert Caulfield, President of Kidsafe Victoria said, "The campaign between Sesame Street and Kidsafe, with the support of the TAC and the Victorian Government, provides a unique opportunity to build on the positive relationship today's parents under the age of 42 have had with Sesame Street themselves as children."

The first stage of the campaign is expected to be released in November.

Media Enquiries:
Ron Smith, Corporate Media Communications, Kidsafe Victoria - Mobile: 0417 329 201