In 1995, the Florida legislature enacted a special donations program to allow motor vehicle owners to donate money to help purchase child safety seats for Florida's needy children. Ten years later, the $2 Difference Child Safety Seat Program is still going strong. All monies donated to the program are used to purchase child safety seats for Florida families who cannot afford to purchase them for their children. The child safety seats are then distributed by the local tax collector's offices, the Florida Highway Patrol, or other designated agencies to families in need. The program, a joint statewide program involving the County Tax Collector's Offices, the Florida Highway Patrol, and the Division of Motor Vehicles, relies on the support and participation of the motoring public.

The County Tax Collector's Offices across the state are responsible for promoting the program to encourage donations from the public when they seek to obtain or renew motor vehicle registrations. The Florida Highway Patrol's Public Affairs Office is responsible for tracking the donations, purchasing the child safety seats, ensuring delivery of child seats to designated locations across the state, and ensuring the proper distribution of child safety seats to the needy public.

During the program's first year, nearly $38,000 in donations was collected. By early 1999, a total of $174,700 had been collected for the growing program. Now, near the end of its tenth year, the $2 Difference Child Safety Seat Program has collected a total of $682,587 from which child safety seats have been purchased and distributed to Florida's needy children. We urge the motoring public to continue to support this important program with your generous donations!