Families are being urged to make a simple change to their child's car seats, which could save lives in the event of a serious accident.
The supplement is provided to families with young children by the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Department of Health Services.
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Emergency Pediatric Information Cards, or EPIC, are introduced to assist emergency crews during serious road accidents.
DPS Sergeant Eric Andrews said the cards will be a big help during emergencies.
“There are always times when the parent or guardian may be incapacitated again,” he said. They may be seriously injured.
“We want to be able to talk to these kids that we see in the car and be able to connect with them.”
EPIC is a yellow sticky tag that you can attach anywhere that will be visible to first responders in the event of an accident.
This might mean, for example, placing it on the inside or back of your child's car seat.
The card has slots to fill in a range of personal identification details that may be necessary to help first responders get your children the help they need.
Information that can be filled out includes your child's name, date of birth, and address.
For medical teams, there's also space to note any allergies your child has, as well as emergency contact information and contact details for their doctor.
Sgt. EPIC is free and voluntary to fill out, Andrews said.
However, he said at least knowing your child's name can help soldiers calm your young children during emergencies.
“Just knowing their names is a big part of their relief,” he added.
“This is a big step in just letting them know we're there to help them and make sure they're safe.”
DPS said many of its troopers already have the cards on hand and have begun handing them out during calls.
In the next two months, Sgt. Andrews said you will be able to get an EPIC card at any DPS station and local ADOT facility.
Last year, there were more than 122,000 traffic accidents in Arizona, according to Arizona Department of Transportation data.
Of these, nearly 1,200 people have died, and more than 37,000 have been infected.
This means that every day, approximately 4 people are killed in car accidents, and 148 others are injured.
The 31st Annual Arizona Child Fatality Review Report also showed that the leading cause of death among children ages 5 to 14 is motor vehicle accidents.
These tragedies were also listed as the most preventable causes of death, and the report found that 81 teenagers died in car crashes last year alone.
The report recommended placing children under the age of 13 in the back seat, using child-safe seats, and increasing awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol.
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