15 April 2004 - Department for Transport's (DfT) THINK! Road Safety Campaign Latest
The latest focus of the Department for Transport's (DfT) THINK! road safety campaign is to ensure parents use child car seats or boosters for their children until they are at least 11 years old or 150cm tall (roughly 5 feet) which will effectively reduce the risk of injury to children in the event of an accident. DfT research has discovered not all parents are using appropriate child seats in their cars.
The THINK! road safety campaign shows that many parents stop using child car seats far too soon. Key findings were that:
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63% of parents stopped using child car seats for their children when they were aged 6 or younger
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One in ten parents had stopped using child car seats for their children by the time they were three years old
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Only 41% of parents of children aged 7-9 and just 26% of those with children aged 10-11 said that their child always travels in a child car seat.
In 2002, 35 children aged 0-11 were killed and 480 seriously injured while travelling in cars.
A variety of parenting publications will contain the advertising campaign promoting child car seat use.
Directive 2003/20/EC means that all Member States will be required to ensure that by May 2006 children up to age 11 and 150 cm tall use an appropriate child restraint in most vehicles, a matter which will be subject to consultation in due course.
A few important THINK! campaign safety tips:
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Always take the time to make sure that your child's car seat harness is properly adjusted and fastened before setting off in the car, even on the shortest of trips. And remember to set a good example by fastening your own belt
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Make sure your child car seat or booster is properly secured by the adult belt every time you use it. When fitting a child car seat in your car, always follow the manufacturer's instructions thoroughly and allow plenty of time. Always keep a copy of the fitting instructions in your car
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Use a properly fitted, purpose built child car seat which meets the current safety standards (it will be marked with an 'E' mark and a '03' number) and is appropriate for your child's weight and height. Try before you buy and get a trained shop assistant to demonstrate how to fit the seat
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Beware when using a second-hand child car seat. Make sure that it meets current safety standards, has not already been in an accident and that you have the correct fitting instructions
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No child can sit in the front seat of any vehicle without using a seat belt or child car seat. Children under three can only sit in the front if they are strapped in to a proper child car seat
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Never use a rear-facing child car seat in a seat protected by an active frontal airbag. Forward-facing child car seats should be as far back from the airbag as possible. Always check the car handbook for the manufacturer's advice.
The THINK! campaign from the Department for Transport can be found here www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk
The web site produced by RoSPA with the support of the Department for Transport www.childcarseats.org.uk
Try this new interactive 'crash simulator' produced by the Department for Transport www.thinkseatbelts.com
