Kohl's Safety Van Preventing injuries to children and youth is the focus of two complementary programs at Children’s Hospital.

The Center for Injury Research and Prevention (CIRP) has a multidisciplinary team — with behavioral scientists, clinicians, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, engineers, public health practitioners and communications professionals — that translates research into action to keep children, teens and young adults safe from injury.

Its practical tools and guidelines for families, professionals and policymakers ensure research makes a real-world impact. CIRP’s research priorities are teen driver safety, child passenger safety, concussion, pediatric biomechanics, post-injury care and recovery, violence prevention, and e-health.

CIRP’s websites received more than 917,000 page views in 2015, delivering evidence-based information when and where families and professionals need it.

The multi-faceted Injury Prevention Program at CHOP educates families about safety and provides protective equipment to help avoid injury to children. In the Safety Center at CHOP’s Main Campus, via the Mobile Safety Center and at many community events, program staff offer education and safety devices to increase safety practices in the community.

In 2015, the program gave away 2,041 safety products, which included life jackets and new child safety seats, with a projected value of $97,701. Staff from the program also checked the quality of 2,489 child safety seats, making sure they are properly installed, at 156 child safety seat inspection events.

In partnership with the Buckle Up for Life Program, staff conducted 20 child passenger safety education programs and distributed 410 child safety seats. The Mobile Safety Van rolled to 93 community events, reaching approximately 287,580 people with child safety education.

Families can find trusted safety information at these CIRP websites: