LAUSR

In the United States, Hispanics and African Americans are disproportionately killed and injured in motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) compared with non-Hispanic Whites. In 2013, more African Americans died from MVC-related injuries than any other unintentional injury, and 64.5% of fatally injured Hispanic youth (ages 15-20) were unrestrained or otherwise incorrectly belted at the time of the crash. As the minority population in the US continues to increase, it is imperative to develop effective and culturally sensitive countermeasures to reach those most at risk of death and injury from MVCs. The Hispanic Toolkit and the African American toolkit were developed using cultural competency strategies to encourage an increase in seat belt use. The Hispanic Toolkit includes bilingual brochures, posters, and radio/video public safety announcements that address common attitudes and practices among recently emigrated Latinos regarding traffic safety culture. The African American toolkit includes E-blasts, fact sheets, and an educational power point to engage local African American organizations in educating their communities and encourage traffic safety behaviors. Both toolkits are user friendly and can be downloaded online.