Based on 2010-2014 child fatality data, the CFPS team members recommend the following strategies be implemented to reduce child fatalities in Colorado:
- Establish a statutory requirement that allows for primary enforcement of Colorado’s adult seat belt law, making it possible to stop a driver and issue a citation if anyone (the driver and all passengers, regardless of seating position) in the vehicle is not properly restrained.
- Enhance the Graduated Drivers Licensing (GDL) law to increase the minimum age for a learner’s permit to 16 years and expand restricted driving hours to 10:00pm-5:00am.
- Mandate that all healthcare settings develop and implement policies to provide education and information about infant safe sleep promotion.
- Mandate all schools in Colorado implement a full spectrum of suicide prevention programming, including programs that promote resilience and positive youth development as protective factors for suicide.
- Support policies that ensure the long-term financial stability of free full-day preschool and free full-day kindergarten.
- Support policies that ensure paid parental leave for families.
- Mandate law enforcement agencies and coroner offices use the Sudden Unexplained Infant Death Investigation Reporting Form (SUIDIRF) during infant death scene investigations.
- Mandate the use of a suicide investigation form for law enforcement and coroners when investigating suicide deaths.
- Improve Colorado’s Traffic Accident Report to include more specific information about motor vehicle crashes.
- Strengthen practices related to sharing child maltreatment data across local agencies in Colorado.
