Brake for Bela
Safe summer driving awareness campaign seeks to combat 16 percent seasonal increase in automobile/pedestrian accidents
North Denver Tribune
Arvada, Colo. — June 08, 2011 — Two years ago, in the summer of 2009, 5-year-old Isabela “Bela” Estes was lucky to survive after being hit by a car while playing near the street in front of her Arvada house. Today, Bela is the inspiration behind a grassroots public awareness campaign, called “Brake for Bela,” to alert both drivers and children of the increased risk of vehicle/pedestrian accidents during the summer months, while children are out of school.
Tragically, many accident victims do not share Bela’s fortunate recovery. More than 4,000 sons, daughters, mothers and fathers are killed each year while walking in their neighborhoods and death rates from vehicle/pedestrian accidents increase 16 percent during the summer months.
The Brake for Bela campaign is launching its inaugural year the week of May 23, just in time for the release of most major schools in Denver and surrounding suburbs, and will continue the education campaign through the end of August 2011. Sponsored by local public relations firm Communication Infrastructure Group (CIG), for which Bela’s mother Kristi Estes works, Brake for Bela aims to raise awareness among children, their parents and all drivers.
“While we are so happy that Bela is a happy, healthy, fully recovered 7-year-old, her experience deeply affected everyone on our team and moved us to action,” said Karen Morales, CIG owner and longtime friend of the Estes family. “As a public relations firm specializing in transportation and infrastructure issues, this campaign is an important and personally significant way for us to give back to the community that has given us so much.”
To raise awareness of the campaign, proclamations in support of Brake for Bela are being passed by City Councils throughout metro Denver, including Arvada, Brighton, Commerce City, Denver and Lakewood.
Join the call-to-action at www.cig-pr.com taking the Safe Driver pledge at www.facebook.com/brakeforbela. For more information contact Karen Morales at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or 303-618-7031.
