C.H.A.D. (Children Have An iDentity) By WILLIAM T. SUNLEY, Engineer of Local Roads and Streets

A safety child identification program has been developed by the Illinois Department of Transportation in cooperation with First Lady Brenda Edgar's HELP ME GROW program. The program will ensure quick identification of a child in vehicle crashes. The identification program — Children Have An iDentity (CHAD) — was developed as the result of a traffic accident involving a young Springfield child. Chad, a one year old at the time, was in a crash that resulted in the death of his babysitter. Although injured, Chad survived the crash because his babysitter had taken the time to secure him in his safety seat.

No one at the scene of the crash, or at the hospital, was able to identify Chad. Luckily, an emergency room technician on duty was a cousin of Chad's and was able to contact the family immediately.

To ensure rapid identification of a child in such an emergency, parents and/or guardians can now obtain a free CHAD tag to fill out and place on the inside right corner (child's right) under the cushion or on the center back of their child's safety seat. The tag will contain the names and phone numbers of the child's parents, physician, and other designated emergency contact persons. Law enforcement and emergency rescue personnel will be encouraged to look for this identification.

Since the announcement of the development of the tag by Mrs. Edgar in February 1994, nearly 452,000 tags have been printed and distributed. The Department is presently seeking public/private partnerships from corporations to help sponsor and share printing costs.

In addition, more than 28 states have contacted the Department for information, and artwork, in order to create similar tags.

The tags are available, free of charge, through local, county and state law enforcement agencies, from the Illinois Department of Transportation's Division of Traffic Safety (217-785-1181 or 800-526-0844 TDD) or through the HELP ME GROW hotline — 1-800-323-GROW (voice and TDD). In addition, you may contact Barbara Welk at the IDOT's Office of Public Affairs (217-782-6953) for further information regarding corporate sponsorship.

Page 16 / Illinois Municipal Review / October 1994