Presenter Profile
Joseph M Colella, CPST-I
Baby Safety Alliance
jcolella@babysafetyalliance.org
301-466-8140
Joe Colella is the Director of Child Passenger Safety for the Baby Safety Alliance, where he leads the organization’s educational, regulatory, legislative and partnership efforts in the child occupant protection space. A certified Child Passenger Safety Technician Instructor (CPSTI) with over three decades of experience, Joe is a nationally respected advocate, instructor and expert in child passenger safety.
At the Baby Safety Alliance, Joe guides member manufacturers and stakeholders through evolving standards and evidence-based improvements, and played a key role in adding car seats to the organization’s Verification Program in the U.S. and Canada. He regularly collaborates with NHTSA, AAP, Safe Kids Worldwide, Safe States Alliance and other national safety organizations, and serves on the Society of Automotive Engineers Children’s Restraint Systems Committee.
Joe has taught in 48 states and five countries, developed CPS training curricula, and chaired the National Child Passenger Safety Board. He continues to shape the field through his leadership at the Lifesavers Conference and editorial contributions to Safe Ride News Publications. His impact has been recognized through multiple honors, including induction into the Child Passenger Safety Hall of Fame.
Presentations
CPS Toolkit: Maximizing CPS Resources for Best Practice (1 CPS CEU)
Joseph M Colella, CPST-I
Motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of child injury and fatality in the United States, and correctly selected and used child restraints are the proven solution regardless of crash causes. With a constantly changing landscape, including new field data, regulations, state laws and restraint designs, advocates should stay updated.
To be consistent and effective for injury prevention, child passenger safety awareness, education and laws must be based on current and verifiable facts from trusted technical resources.
This interactive session helps advocates incorporate new or underutilized resources from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, child restraint manufacturers, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and other reliable sources into their CPS educational practices.
The content of this session is must for CPS Advocates, CPSTs and CPSTIs.
1. Become familiar with new and lesser known technical resources
2. Be comfortable using these resources through scenario exercises and hands-on practice
3. Understand how to incorporate new resources into CPST educational practices