For Immediate Release
March 07 , 2008
Contact: Julie Brewer
931-372-6383
www.seatbeltvolunteer.org

 

Statewide Booster Seat Education Campaign Goes To Nashville

Campaign features Ollie the Otter safety mascot

Davidson County- Ollie the Otter spends most of his time teaching elementary school students about seatbelt safety, but lately he’s taken a few breaks to rub elbows with key state officials in Nashville. State legislators, safety advocates and even the governor gave Ollie thumbs up for telling kids to buckle up.

Ollie, the seven-foot-tall safety mascot supported by the Tennessee Road Builders Association, had an audience with transportation committees of the Tennessee Senate and House of Representatives. Following those trips, he spent an afternoon with Gov. Phil Bredesen in celebration of the 30th anniversary of groundbreaking Tennessee legislation requiring child safety seats. He wrapped things up in Nashville by joining the Tennessee Board of Regents(TBR) during a “Day on the Hill” outing.

These stops come in the midst of Ollie’s whirlwind tour of Tennessee. Program organizers have set a goal of reaching every Tennessee county with Ollie’s seatbelt, booster seat safety and construction zone message during the 2007-2008 school year. He spreads this message at school wide assemblies and community functions, telling students they “Otter buckle up.” 

“It was thrilling to see the positive response our state legislators gave to Ollie,” said Julie Brewer, Ollie Otter program coordinator.
When meeting with state legislators, Ollie brought along an entourage that included Kent Starwalt, executive director of the Tennessee Road Builders Association (TRBA), project co-director Bo Roberts, project co-director Kevin Liska of the Tennessee Tech BusinessMedia Center and Carol Coleman, President of the TRBA Ladies Auxiliary.  

While visiting with the Senate Transportation Committee, program founder Coleman explained how the loss of family members spurred the program’s inception.

“I wanted to do something to honor their life and to try to make a difference,” Coleman told the committee. “So I talked to Johnny and I knew that he would be president of the Tennessee Road Builders in 2006 and I would be president of the Ladies Auxiliary. So I decided that it is really hard for one person to try and do something, but with the Tennessee Road Builders and with the presidency of the Ladies Auxiliary, I felt if I could get their support we could do something to make a difference. So I presented it to the Road Builders and they supported it and the Ladies Auxiliary Volunteered to take it on as a project.”

The committee enthusiastically praised the efforts of Ollie, the TRBA and the Tennessee Board of Regents, which supplies training for program volunteers. “Carol, thank you for your vision,” said committee chairman Jim Tracy.  “Thank you for your dreaming. It just goes to show that one person can make a difference and any education we can do for safety is tremendous for our young people and the state of Tennessee. Thanks for what you’re doing. Ollie, thanks for coming today. And thank you all for this. This is great!”

Ollie then joined Gov. Phil Bredesen, Tennessee lawmakers, representatives of AAA and the Tennessee Department of Safety in celebrating the 30th anniversary of legislation requiring Tennessee children to wear seatbelts. The law was the first of its kind in the nation; every state now has similar legislation. Tennessee’s laws have been updated to require children under 9 years old and 4’9” to use a booster seat. Creating awareness of these laws is central to Ollie’s purpose, program coordinator Brewer said.
“Too many Tennesseans are unaware of seat belt and booster seat laws,” she said. “With help from agencies such as the Tennessee Department of Safety, we’re reaching not only students, but also their parents and caretakers.”

The National Highway Safety Administration estimates 7,500 lives have been saved nationally due to child safety seats since the passage of the original legislation in Tennessee. Children not in restraint devices have been shown to be 11 times more likely to die in a crash than those who are restrained, according to NHSA.

Ollie’s Nashville travels ended when he joined the TBR for a “day on the hill” program at Legislative Plaza. TBR governs 27 Tennessee Technology Center locations, each of which has been involved in training volunteers for Ollie Otter School presentations. Between two and five volunteers staff each Ollie assembly, and more than 200 individuals have participated during the last year.

“The Ollie program simply would not function without the energy and dedication of the rapidly growing volunteer force,” Brewer said. “TBR and the Tennessee Technology Centers have been eager to help at every step. Thanks to our volunteers, we’ve been able to reach more than 34,000 students in 54 counties with Ollie’s message of seatbelt, booster seat and construction zone safety.”

To sign up as a volunteer, schedule a visit from Ollie, or learn more about Tennessee’s booster seat and seatbelt safety campaign, visit www.seatbeltvolunteer.org.