State Achieves Nearly 94 Percent Usage Rate

"Labor Day Weekend should be a time of parades, barbeques and baseball, not sitting in a hospital ER, wondering if a loved one will survive a crash," Governor Quinn said. "Seat belts save lives, and Illinois' high seat belt usage rate is the result of our comprehensive efforts to ensure that drivers in Illinois are buckling up. When traveling this Labor Day, make sure everyone is buckled up, including those in the back seat, and such precious cargo as infants, the elderly and pets."

Prior to the primary safety belt law, police could not pull a driver over based solely on a seat belt violation. Since the primary belt law was enacted in July 2003, belt usage has climbed each consecutive year, going up 17.4 percentage points from 76.2 percent in 2003 to nearly 94 percent in 2012.

"Through our effective partnerships with law enforcement and advocacy groups across Illinois, we have been able to achieve a record rate of seat belt usage," Illinois Transportation Secretary Ann L. Schneider said. "The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) is working diligently toward 100 percent statewide usage and to help drive zero road fatalities to reality."

Additional legislation signed by Governor Quinn last summer required that all passengers buckle up, including those riding in the back seat of vehicles, to help further prevent traffic accident-related injuries or fatalities. Along with successful awareness programs and enforcement efforts, these laws have helped lead to an overall reduction in fatalities on Illinois roads over the last ten years.

"State troopers work with IDOT and other organizations to promote safety awareness and enforce seat belt usage statewide, and we are pleased that more motorists are using their seat belts every year," Illinois State Police Director Hiram Grau said. "We also want to remind the public to drive sober and safely as the holiday weekend approaches - remember, don't text and drive and watch for road workers."

For more information on IDOT's Traffic Safety programs, including the Occupant Protection or Click It or Ticket campaigns, please visit www.trafficsafety.illinois.gov.

With tonight' s Convention it is now official, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are the Republican nominees for President and Vice President. Tonight, I signed the official documentation along with Speaker Boehner and RNC Chairman Reince Priebus to put Mitt Romney on the ballot.

Here in Iowa we have been working non-stop to elect solid, conservative candidates up and down and the ticket and most importantly ensure Barack Obama is a one-term President

With more than a dozen victory offices throughout the state, Iowa is a key swing state for Republicans this election. Our grassroots activists are committed to success but they cannot do it alone.

Please click here to make a donation and support Republican Victory this November.

Iowa is an absolutely vital state for Mitt Romney. Despite Barack Obama receiving over 100,000 more votes than John McCain in 2008, Republicans now hold the advantage in voter registration for the first time in over six years!

This is primarily due to the hard work and energy of our grassroots activists, volunteers and county leaders.

Together they understand that the success of our county parties, Congressional candidates and Mitt Romney's election will all be hard fought races with a tremendous amount on the line.

Please also think about joining our Patriot Club and pledge to support the Republican Party of Iowa with a small contribution each month.

Your financial contribution today will help us immediately get to work to defeat the Democrats in November, promote the conservative messages throughout Iowa, and restore America now.

Thank you so much for your hard work and dedication thus far and thank you in advance for your continued support of the Republican Party's efforts here in Iowa.

Sincerely,

A.J. Spiker

Chairman, Republican Party of Iowa

State lacks four essential safety standards for kids, Save the Children reports

Washington, D.C., August 30, 2012?Iowa is no stranger to emergencies, frequently facing severe storms, tornados and flooding. But a new report from Save the Children finds that Iowa has not established four basic preparedness standards that all states should be required to meet.

"Most parents assume that when they drop their kids off for the day, their children will be safe if disaster strikes," said Mark Shriver, Senior Vice President, Save the Children's U.S. Programs. "But our new survey shows that only 17 states require the basic emergency preparedness regulations for both child care facilities and schools."

The fifth annual National Report Card on Protecting Children During Disasters assesses all 50 states and the District of Columbia on four basic disaster preparedness and safety standards for child care facilities and schools. To meet these critical benchmarks, states must require all regulated childcare settings to have written plans for evacuation and relocation, and for family reunification following an emergency, as well as a specific plan to assist children with disabilities and those children with access and functional needs. States must also require all K-12 schools to have a written multi-hazard plan accounting for a variety of different disasters and emergencies.

Iowa has failed to meet any of the four standards, putting it behind 46 states and the District of Columbia in emergency preparedness for children.  Although, overall, there are critical gaps in mid-western states disaster plans, Iowa's neighbors have made considerable progress for kids. Missouri meets three of the four standards, Colorado meets two. Wisconsin is one of 17 states that meet all for standards for schools and child care facilities.

One of the standards Iowa still lacks requires all regulated child care facilities to have a specific plan to help children with disabilities and those with access and functional needs in emergencies. Save the Children found that, currently, an alarming 27 states fail to meet crucial standard, making it the focus of this year's Report Card.

"The failure by states to establish basic emergency preparedness regulations for the nation's youngest and most vulnerable children in school and child care puts many of these children at great risk should a disaster strike," said Mark Shriver.

"These are infants and toddlers just learning to walk, as well as children with physical, emotional, behavior and mental health challenges - kids in wheelchairs, kids with autism, children with supplemental oxygen or feeding tubes. All of these children obviously are at great risk in an emergency," added Shriver. "While states have made some progress in protecting the most vulnerable, it is unacceptable that 27 states do not require child care facilities to have a specific disaster plan to help ensure the safety and well-being of at-risk children."

During the past five years, the report noted that the number of states that meet all four standards has increased from four in 2008 to 17 in 2012. The report also found that:

• Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia still fail to meet all four standards.
• Twenty-seven states do not require all regulated child care facilities to have a written plan that accounts for kids with disabilities and those with access or functional needs.
• Twenty states do not require all regulated child care facilities to have an evacuation and relocation plan.
• Eighteen states still do not require all regulated child care facilities to have a family reunification plan.
• Nine states still do not require K-12 schools to have a multi-hazard disaster plan that accounts for multiple types of disasters.
• Five states?Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan and Montana?fail to meet any of the preparedness standards for regulated child care facilities or schools, putting many children at risk.

"As a nation we have a moral obligation to protect the most vulnerable during disasters," said Shriver.

To see how each state stacks up on protecting kids, and to read the full report, visit www.savethechildren.org/disaster-report.

About Save the Children

Save the Children works to break the cycle of poverty and improve the lives of children by ensuring they have the resources they need?access to quality education, healthy foods, and opportunities to grow and develop in a nurturing environment. When disasters strike, like hurricanes and wildfires, Save the Children is among the first on the ground, ensuring the needs of children are being met.