Unintentional injury is the number one cause of death for the 1-24 year age group. SHD is committed to reducing
the incidence of both death and disability from unintentional injury among the youth of Snohomish County.
Child Passenger Safety
More than 80% of all car seats are installed incorrectly. Many children who should be in boosters are not. Our goal
is to educate families in Snohomish County about car seats and booster seats so that the children in our county are
safer when they ride in vehicles. More than half of all child fatalities are from motor vehicle crashes.
In addition to comprehensive education, we provide more than 200 child restraint systems each year to Snohomish
County residents. The majority of these seats are distributed through our public health nurses, but we also
provide seats to other low-income families referred by clinics, hospitals and other visiting nurse programs.
Attendance at a car seat class is required before a family receives a seat and we charge a $10 deposit for the seat.
Bicycle Safety
The centerpiece of the bicycle safety work is the Hard Shell Heroes program. It is a comprehensive approach to
promoting bicycle safety and bicycle helmet use. We work with law enforcement, schools, hospitals, fire departments,
social service agencies, community groups and private businesses to distribute helmets and reward children who wear
helmets and ride bikes in a safe way. The heart of the Hard Shell heroes programs involves positive reinforcement for
children who are wearing helmets. When law enforcement or emergency services personnel see children wearing helmets,
they stop the kids and give them packets which include Hard Shell Heroes certificates, helmet discount coupons, fast
food coupons and information detailing the importance of wearing helmets.
SHD loans bicycle rodeo props to agencies, community groups and schools who sponsor bicycle rodeos.
SHD distributes a limited number of helmets to low-income families. We also work in conjunction with Snohomish
County SAFE KIDS to make low-cost helmets available.
Safe Storage of Firearms
SHD encourages the safe storage of firearms in an effort to reduce child access to guns. We distribute lock boxes to
low-income residents through our public health nurses. SHD has been a member of the LOK-IT-UP coalition, along with
Public Health - Seattle & King County, Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research
Center, Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Washington State Department of Health and the Kitsap County Health
District, for many years.
Unintentional injury is the number one cause of death for the 1-24 year age group. SHD is committed to reducing
the incidence of both death and disability from unintentional injury among the youth of Snohomish County.