Child Car Seat Checks Could Save Lives

Hampshire County Council, in partnership with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, are providing a free child car seat checking service on:-

Wednesday 15th July at Eastleigh Fire Station on Steele Road, between 10 am and 4pm.

Results of two surveys published recently revealed that thousands of parents are risking their children's lives because they do not know the law about child car seats and more than a third underestimate the age and height at which a child can travel without a car seat.

The surveys by consumer magazine Which? and AA/Populus, add weight to the County Council's own findings.

In 2008, the road safety team checked 371 car seats at similar events throughout the year and found that 88 seats needed re-fitting. Furthermore 156 of those seats were newly purchased but had not been demonstrated at the point of sale and 75 were not compatible with the car in which the seat was being used.

The law states that parents must use an appropriate child car seat when carrying any child up to 135cm (4ft 5in) or until they reach their 12th birthday.

Councillor Mel Kendal, Executive Member for Environment, said: "The results from these latest surveys are of real concern. Clearly there is still a lot of confusion surrounding car seats.

"We appreciate how tricky it is to fit it correctly but it is important that children are kept as safe as possible whilst travelling in vehicles. With the summer holidays approaching, many families are likely to be out and about more frequently or travelling to their holiday destination which means more traffic carrying children. This is all the more reason to ensure the type of child car seat being used is the right one and that it fits the car it is being used in.

"The checking service is intended to help people keep their children safe. At Eastleigh Fire Station on 15 July, specialists will be on hand to thoroughly check how well child car seats fit in parents' cars and provide expert advice, free of charge."

Eastleigh Fire Station Manager, Steve Ransley added: "Sadly at Hampshire Fire and Rescue, we are all too frequently exposed to the aftermath of road traffic collisions and the impact these incidents have upon people's lives.

"Every day around 10 people are killed on Britain's roads and around 30,000 people a year are seriously injured. We are working hard to make best use of all available local resources to reduce these tragic figures and we are pleased to be working with Hampshire County Council to reduce deaths and injuries on our roads.

"I am hopeful that the advice that our crews give out will help influence people's attitudes and behaviour with regard to in-car safety and make them consider the consequences of their actions."

For further information about car seat safety and for details of forthcoming car seat checks in August, September, October please visit www.hants.gov.uk/roadsafety or call 0196....

Links to the two surveys mentioned in the press release are given below:

Which?

AA/Populus

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