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'Brake For Bela' Campaign Educates About Risk Of Vehicle/Pedestrian Accidents

DENVER (CBS4) - In May a Colorado public relations firm launched a campaign to educate drivers and children of the increased risk of vehicle/pedestrian accidents during the summer months. The "Brake for Bela" campaign will continue until the end of August and the group wants to keep the message alive for the remainder of the summer.

The campaign is named for Isabela "Bela" Estes. In 2009 Bela, who was 5 years old at the time, was lucky to survive after being hit by a car while playing near the street in front of her Arvada house.

"Tragically, many accident victims do not share Bela's fortunate recovery. More than 4,000 sons, daughters, mothers and fathers are killed each year while walking in their neighborhoods and death rates from vehicle/pedestrian accidents increase 16 percent during the summer months," Communication Infrastructure Group said in a prepared statement.

Bela's mother, Kristi Estes, works Communication Infrastructure Group.

"While we are so happy that Bela is a happy, healthy, fully recovered 7-year-old, her experience deeply affected everyone on our team and moved us to action," said Karen Morales, CIG owner and longtime friend of the Estes family. "As a public relations firm specializing in transportation and infrastructure issues, this campaign is an important and personally significant way for us to give back to the community that has given us so much."

CIG and Brake for Bela encourage the public to support the campaign by joining the call-to-action at www.cig-pr.com or by "liking" our cause on Facebook and taking the Safe Driver pledge at www.facebook.com/brakeforbela.

Links: Brake for Bela Fact Sheet  |  Brake for Bela Fact

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