Considerations for Building a Community-Led Initiative: Engaging Communities With Lower Child Restraint Use

Jennings, C; Thigpen, M; Raymond, P. · 2026 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This document addresses the persistent gap in child passenger safety (CPS) research and practice regarding communities with historically lower rates of child restraint use, including Black, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian, Alaska Native, and low-income populations. While these groups often face higher rates of misuse and barriers such as cost, lack of information, and misconceptions, existing interventions have largely failed to engage them effectively. The paper argues that traditional, top-down education and outreach efforts are insufficient because they often lack cultural relevance and trust. Instead, it advocates for a shift toward community-led initiatives, where community members own the design, decision-making, and implementation of safety programs. This approach is presented as a critical strategy for achieving sustainable behavior change and embedding CPS knowledge within the community’s social network. The paper outlines a framework for building these initiatives, distinguishing them from traditional approaches through a comparative analysis of decision-making structures, leadership roles, and communication methods. It defines the specific roles of CPS practitioners, who transition from sole decision-makers to advisors who provide funding, data-driven best practices, and technical expertise while ceding control to community leaders. The document details a five-step process for creating a community-led initiative: gathering insights through listening sessions and local research; defining priority behaviors based on community values; conducting collaborative workshops for co-creation of solutions; selecting ideas based on feasibility and impact; and building an implementation plan that integrates with existing community activities. A primary example provided is the Community Approach to Ride Safe (CARS) program, developed by the Indian Health Service for American Indian and Alaska Native communities. This model utilizes empowered coordinators who live and work within the community to educate caregivers, distribute restraints, and evaluate progress. The CARS program emphasizes local ownership, with coordinators identifying stakeholders, customizing messaging, and managing data collection to track restraint use and distribution. The paper highlights that successful engagement relies on trusted messengers—such as clergy, health care workers, or cultural center staff—who are respected within the community. The significance of this work lies in its potential to improve equity in child passenger safety by addressing the root causes of low engagement: lack of trust and cultural misalignment. By shifting from expert-driven to user-driven design, these initiatives aim to create sustainable partnerships and ensure that CPS knowledge remains embedded in the community even after external funding ends. The document serves as a practical guide for funders, practitioners, and technicians to integrate these considerations into grant proposals, program development, and training activities, ultimately fostering more effective and culturally competent safety interventions.

Key finding

Community-led initiatives that prioritize community ownership, trusted messengers, and culturally tailored engagement are more effective and sustainable for increasing child restraint use in lower-use populations than traditional top-down approaches.

Methodology

review

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• child passenger safety