BEDFORD — The basic mission of the Thornton Memorial Boys Club is to provide a safe and pleasurable playground environment for children in the community. So, when Jim Jackson, the club’s executive director, was asked to partner with Riley Hospital, Bedford Regional Medical Center and the Lawrence County Safe Kids Coalition to promote transportation safety for children, he was quick to join the team.

Saturday, during the season-opening Devon Hensley Memorial Jamboree at Wiley Youth Park, the club will play host to “Strike Out Child Passenger Injury.” The community coalition is making a pitch for parents to utilize booster seats for children ages 4-7. Studies reveal proper use of child safety seats decreases as the child ages.

“I’m enthusiastic about this,” Jackson said. “Baseball already has a safety component. We don’t let children play without helmets. This program makes sure children are safe as they travel to and from the field.”

Certified technicians will be at Wiley Saturday to conduct seat checks.

Dawn Daniels, spokesperson for the project, said booster seats work by raising a child up so that the shoulder belt fits flat across the shoulders between the arm and neck and the lap belt fits low across the top of the thighs. She said when the belt fits appropriately, children are less likely to put the shoulder belt behind their backs and more likely to remain restrained for the entire trip.

Studies show children who are unrestrained or prematurely restrained in a lap/shoulder belt are at increased risk of serious internal injuries, head and limb injuries due to hitting objects within the vehicle, or ejection from the vehicle during a crash.

Dr. Sarah Tieman, a pediatrician with Bedford Medical Group, said child passenger safety needs to be addressed.

“Each time a child comes to the hospital with severe injuries or does not survive a crash, the entire community is affected,” she explained. “Whether long-term medical and education needs, financial and emotional stress on families, or the loss of a young life — in so many of these cases, a child safety or booster seat could have prevented the tragedy.”

Daniels explained the project was created by staffs at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences under the direction of Dr. Mary E. Aitken at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Riley Hospital for Children then received funding to undertake the project.

Bedford is one of four Hoosier communities participating in the study. With the help of BRMC and Lawrence County Safe Kids Coalition, approximately 180 children in Bedford will be assessed and, if necessary, have their restraint use corrected.

For more information about the project, call Jackson at 275-2235 or e-mail Daniels at dmdaniels@clarian.org.

Times-Mail Staff Writer Bob Bridge welcomes comments at 277-7282 or by e-mail at bob@tmnews.com.