Kids Ride Safe


Kids Ride Safe traffic safety campaign aims to save kids’ lives

Each day 2,600 children under the age of 13, or one child every 33 seconds is seriously injured or killed in a vehicle accident, according to the National Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Drive Safe Cedar Valley, in partnership with the City of Waterloo, is launching Kids Ride Safe, a multi-pronged media campaign designed to raise children’s traffic safety awareness in the Cedar Valley.

The Kids Ride Safe campaign introduces a 15-second and 45-second 2D animated video to air on cable TV, social media, and mobile apps. The 45-second video is featured on a new children’s traffic safety website at https://www.kidstrafficsafety.com/. The media campaign is designed to inform, entertain, and shape attitudes about safe driving habits in children 13 and under.

“Young children are most vulnerable because they rely on responsible drivers to help ensure they are safe inside and outside of vehicles,” said Officer Dan Taylor with the Evansdale Police Department. “We can start educating children early about safe driving behavior that could have life-saving impact.”

According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, most recent vehicle accidents in Waterloo and Cedar Falls have been caused by drivers running red lights, going through intersections, and failing to yield. “While there have been safety programs for adults for years, the numbers aren’t reflecting a huge change towards our goal of zero fatalities,” said Mohammad Elahi, Traffic Engineer with the City of Waterloo. “By educating our youngest citizens, we can change the culture of driving, and can save lives.”

Drive Safe Cedar Valley is the first-ever localized, ongoing traffic safety program to be implemented in the state of Iowa. The non-profit organization’s mission is to change the driving culture in the Cedar Valley.