Dorel Juvenile Group Opens Safe Kids Chapter

COLUMBUS, Ind., May 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The nation's largest juvenile products manufacturer, today announced it is the first manufacturer to become the lead agency of an official Safe Kids Chapter.  Through this Chapter, Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG), together with local community organizations, will provide a reliable, expert child safety resource for local families.  

According to Safe Kids Worldwide, preventable injury is the number one cause of child deaths, however, 90 percent of these injuries can be avoided.  By opening the Safe Kids Chapter of Bartholomew County, DJG and its partner organizations are working together to provide educational resources and programs to ensure the safety of children in Indiana and beyond.

"As the leading manufacturer of child safety products, protecting children is our main priority," said Dave Taylor, President and CEO of Dorel Juvenile Group.  "In addition to providing the safest products, we believe education is a critical element to ensuring our children avoid unintentional injury.  With the opening of this Chapter, we're working with local organizations to provide vital resources to help protect the children of local families."

DJG has partnered with local community organizations including the United Way of Bartholomew County, Columbus Regional Hospital, Children, Inc., Family Service, and the Eastside Community Center to open the Safe Kids Chapter of Bartholomew County.  In addition to providing a consistent safety resource to families, this Chapter will provide educational tools, discounted safety gear, and annual training sessions on childhood injury prevention.

"Our mission is to ensure every child has the opportunity to grow up safe, healthy and injury free," said Meri-K Appy, President of Safe Kids USA.  "We're so pleased Dorel and its partners have committed to bringing safety education and support to the families of Indiana."

Safe Kids Worldwide is a global network of organizations with a mission of preventing unintentional childhood injury.  More than 600 coalitions and chapters in all 50 states bring together health and safety experts, educators, corporations, foundations, governments and volunteers to educate and protect families.

Building on its commitment to child safety, last month DJG opened the Dorel Technical Center Car Seat Inspection Station, a free, permanent service families can utilize to ensure their car seats are properly installed.  DJG will also take safety education on the road, partnering with AAA on a series of free car seat check events across the country beginning this spring.  DJG will deploy its team of Child Passenger Safety Technicians across the country to ensure car seats are properly installed and provide parents and caregivers with tips and advice for child passenger safety.

For more information, visit www.djgusa.com or www.safekids.org.

About Dorel Juvenile Group

Dorel Industries Inc. (TSX: DII.B, DII.A) is a world class juvenile products and bicycle company.  Established in 1962, Dorel creates style and excitement in equal measure to safety, quality and value. The Company's lifestyle leadership position is pronounced in both its Juvenile and Bicycle categories with an array of trend-setting products.  Dorel's powerfully branded products include Safety 1st, Quinny, Cosco, Maxi-Cosi and Bebe Confort in Juvenile, as well as Cannondale, Schwinn, GT, Mongoose, IronHorse and SUGOI in Recreational/Leisure.  Dorel's Home Furnishings segment markets a wide assortment of furniture products, both domestically produced and imported. Dorel is a US $2.3 billion company with 4700 employees, facilities in nineteen countries, and sales worldwide. 

About Safe Kids USA

Safe Kids USA is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, which is a global network of organizations whose mission is to prevent unintentional childhood injury, the leading cause of death and disability to children ages 1 to 14. More than 600 coalitions and chapters across the U.S. and nineteen member countries across the globe bring together health and safety experts, educators, corporations, foundations, governments and volunteers to educate and protect families. Founded in 1987 as the National SAFE KIDS Campaign by Children's National Medical Center with support from Johnson & Johnson, Safe Kids Worldwide is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization located in Washington, D.C.  For more information, visit www.safekids.org.

SOURCE Dorel Juvenile Group