The Manitoba Driver, from Manitoba Public Insurance
January 2008

About 300 words
Toddlers, start your engines! Baby show is almost here

Looking for a fun way to teach little tykes how to be safe around cars? Why not put them behind the wheel for their very own test drive at Mini Car Town, featured at the upcoming Baby & Kids Show in Winnipeg on Feb. 2 & 3.

Sponsored by Manitoba Public Insurance, Mini Car Town provides a free safety lesson and real driving experience for children aged four to seven. Youngsters get an opportunity to drive a mini-car through a town with traffic signs, lights and pedestrian and railway crossings. In the process, they learn about being safe on streets and sidewalks.

“It's never too early to start teaching children to put a priority on safety whenever they’re around cars and other vehicles,” says Clif Eden, Manager of Road Safety for Manitoba Public Insurance. “It's a lesson that will serve them well now and when they become drivers themselves.”

Mini Car Town will again be seen in other areas of the province this spring and summer. Last year, the popular program played in 27 cities and towns, with enthusiastic reviews from parents and children alike.

After a short safety lesson, kids get to drive battery-operated jeeps through the course. A parent or adult supervisor must accompany their child throughout the course. Participants receive an honorary ‘driver’s licence,’ as well as an opportunity to win prizes.

For more information on how to invite Mini Car Town to your community event this summer, keep an eye on the ‘In the Community Section’ of the Manitoba Public Insurance web site: www.mpi.mb.ca. An online application form will be available later in February. 

The Baby & Kids Show will be held at the Winnipeg Convention Centre on Saturday, Feb. 2 and Sunday, Feb. 3. For more information, see the web site at www.babyshow.ca/

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© 2008 Manitoba Public Insurance

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Jarret DeJong goes for a spin around town.