Congress Passes Cash For Clunkers Bill, Offers $4,500 Stimulus Vouchers to Car Owners

/PRNewswire/ -- Congress passed the Automotive Stimulus bill "Cash For Clunkers" on Thursday, marking the first real legislative stride towards an auto industry recovery, announced CashForClunkersHeadquarters.com, an organization that is leading the campaign to educate the public about the bill. Cash For Clunkers provides up to $4,500 to car owners who trade in their present car for a more fuel efficient and environmentally-friendly alternative. The bill is being called a legislative "trifecta" because its passage stands to ignite a much-needed recovery in the auto industry, save car-owning households money, and improve the environment on a national scale.

Cash For Clunkers works by providing a $4,500 voucher for car owners whose present car gets less than 18 miles per gallon in fuel efficiency. Drivers who buy a car with a 10 MPG improvement over their previous car qualify for the entire $4,500 voucher, while those who choose a car with a 4 MPG improvement qualify for a $3,500 voucher. SUV and truck owners also qualify for the program but fall under slightly different qualifications. CashForClunkersHeadquarters.com provides all of the information regarding the program on its website. Spanish speakers can find this information translated on dineroporsucarcacha.com.

The official name of the program is C.A.R.S. - "Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save Program" (www.ConsumerAssistanceToRecycleAndSaveProgram.org) - and is Title XIII of Bill H.R. 2346. The program will receive an initial allocation of $1B funded by the US government as a part of a War appropriations bill. The program time length is 7/1-11/1 and will be implemented by the NHTSA which has 30 days from the approval of the bill to post all program details online.

In addition to advocacy groups like these, Cash for Clunkers drew support from local car dealers who see the program as an opportunity to boost not just their own businesses but regional economies which are heavily dependent on car sales. In addition, parts of the private sector have stepped up to promote the bill (www.ConsumerAssistanceToRecycleAndSaveProgram.org). One of the innovators of the Cash For Clunker voucher is Paragon Cars, one of the largest dealers in the country. "While Paragon's own Cash For Clunker program has a local or even regional effect on the economy and environment, the country on a whole needs a congressional initiative like this bill to make both the serious economic and environmental impact we need," said Brian Benstock, one of the partners at Paragon. New York's Paragon Cars (www.ParagonCars.com) took a lead in educating the public about the bill by creating an information site for New York residents (www.CashForClunkersNY.com) but also designed and implemented a program to offer their own vouchers to car buyers who trade up in fuel efficiency at Paragon's New Yorked-based Honda-Acura dealership. Paragon declared that it will continue to offer its own vouchers to buyers, in addition to the vouchers provided by the bill.

CashForClunkerHeadquarters.com is leading a national effort to certify eligible car dealers and equip them with the right communication plan and campaigns to reach and help qualifying consumers in their market. CashForClunkersHeadquarters.com also received an important push from Hispanic American celebrities like Dancing With The Stars' Cristian de la Fuente and Ugly Betty star Angelica Vale. Both stars expressed their support for Cash For Clunkers as a way to boost the economy and help the environment but also as a way to make an important financial impact on the hundreds of Hispanic American communities whose livelihoods are tied to the auto industry.

New car dealers are seeking to attain certification from www.CashForClunkersHeadquarters.com to distinguish themselves from other retailers. In addition, select retailers sign on to become exclusive "Certified Cash For Clunkers Headquarters" whereby they receive and implement the recommended communication plan to educate consumers in their local market. As a part of being certified "Cash for Clunkers Headquarters," the dealer agrees to augment the government vouchers with dealer funded stimulus programs.

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Leaving Children Unattended in Vehicles can be Deadly

As temperatures begin to increase, the Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR), Division of Public Health, and the Safe Kids of Georgia community partners urge parents not to leave children unsupervised in vehicles for any length of time. It is important to remember that temperatures in your vehicle could spike to 160 degrees Fahrenheit on a hot and humid day within a matter of minutes – even with the windows partly open.

"There are several risks associated with leaving children in unattended vehicles," said Dr. Sandra Elizabeth Ford, acting director of the Division of Public Health. "They can suffer from heat stroke and hyperthermia and become entrapped in the trunk and other compartments which can set a vehicle in motion and lead to car crashes, or even abduction. Parents need to know that these potentially fatal outcomes can be prevented through awareness, supervision and environmental modifications such as locked doors. We are working alongside Safe Kids coalitions across the state to increase awareness about child safety."

Children left in vehicles under extreme heat conditions are especially vulnerable. Heat stroke, a life-threatening emergency, can occur in temperatures as low as 80 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on humidity levels. Body temperatures higher than 105 degrees Fahrenheit can cause permanent brain damage or even death, especially among children.

According to the Center for the Study and Prevention of Injury, Violence and Suicide, during the period 1995-2005 there were 414 heat-related deaths of children in the U.S. – 16 of them in Georgia. Of the 16 Georgia child fatality cases, two were children who climbed in the trunk of a vehicle; 14 were in the passenger compartment.

More than half of unattended child deaths occurred when adults forgot or were unaware of the child, according to a 2005 study published in Injury Prevention. To help prevent tragedy, the Division of Public Health urges all parents and caregivers to be conscious of the following safety recommendations:

• Supervision is key. Even if the windows are down, never leave your child unattended in a car. Never leave your car keys where children can get them. Keep car doors and trunks locked at all times, even in the garage or driveway. Teach children not to play in or around cars.
• Adopt safety-focused behaviors. Place your purse or briefcase in the back seat as a reminder that you have your child in the car. Be sure that all occupants leave the vehicle when you reach your destination. If a child is missing, check the car first, including the trunk. Keep the rear fold-down seats closed to prevent kids from getting into the trunk from inside the car.
• Have a plan that your child’s teacher will call you if your child does not show up for school, or if your child does not arrive when expected. If you see a child alone in a vehicle, get involved. If they are hot or seem sick, get them out as quickly as possible and call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
• Make your car safer. Contact your auto dealership about getting your vehicle retrofitted with a trunk release mechanism. Make sure the child resistant locks in your vehicle function correctly.

These and other recommendations for keeping kids safe in or around vehicles have been adapted from http://kidsandcars.org, http://www.hhd.org and other child safety websites.