Nissan to Fund Child Safety Effort

Gardena-based Nissan North America Inc. is giving $1.5 million to the What to Expect Foundation to help disadvantaged families with child safety.

The money will pay for free educational materials and for a fleet of minivans that will ferry moms and children to health clinics.

Nissan’s connection to the foundation grew out a desire to teach parents about the proper use of child car seats. Federal statistics show 80% of car seats are installed improperly.

Nissan joined with Heidi Murkoff and Arlene Eisenberg, authors of the “What to Expect” books on pregnancy and parenting, to create “The What to Expect Guide to Car Seat Safety” booklet. Nissan distributed the booklet through doctors’ offices and at dozens of events nationwide where consumer groups demonstrated how to install car seats.