Proclamation 5823

By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation

During National Safe Kids Week parents, relatives, teachers, and everyone responsible for the care and safety of children should take notice of the many ways in which we can help youngsters avoid accidents and grow up safely. Children themselves should also become increasingly aware of ways to protect themselves and other young people. Each year accidents take a tragic toll of perhaps 8,000 young lives lost and 50,000 children disabled. We need to recall that we can prevent the majority of these incidents-and we need to do as much as we can about it, in homes, schools, places of work and recreation, on the highways, and throughout our communities.

Much has been done already. Americans continue to take responsibility by exercising extra care around the house, as well as by using items such as infant and toddler car seats and seat belts, smoke detectors, flame-retardant clothing, and child-proof packaging; and emergency medical services are developing still greater capacities in the prevention of death and of serious aftereffects of injury.

As more and more of us understand that accidental injuries are avoidable, and as we act accordingly, we will substantially reduce this major source of death, disability, and injury to our hope for the future-our "safe kids." That is a goal to which we can all look forward.

The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 240, has designated the period of May 16 through May 22, 1988, as "National Safe Kids Week" and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this event.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the period of May 16 through May 22, 1988, as National Safe Kids Week. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twelfth.

RONALD REAGAN

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 4:11 p.m., May 13, 1988]