Safety drive plea on seat belts

Belt 'em up and keep 'em safe is the message being sent out to parents in Staffordshire.

The Staffordshire Casualty Reduction Partnership hopes to cut the number of children killed or injured in road accidents in the county.

Many child casualties would be prevented if children were always restrained correctly when travelling. The advice does not just concern babies as a recent survey found that 48 per cent of parents and carers admitted to sometimes not using a car seat with children aged between seven and nine years.

As part of a children's campaign, parents and carers in the county are being reminded of the importance of using the correct restraint for the child and to not use an adult belt until the child is taller than 1.35 metres in height or reaches their 12th birthday – whichever comes first.

Small children need the protection that baby seats are designed to provide, whilst booster seats and cushions keep bigger children safe until they can legally use the adult belt alone.

Cabinet member with responsibility for road safety, Councillor Carol Dean said:"The statistics speak for themselves.

"These are 2,000 child deaths or injuries that could have been prevented.

"The minefield of car seats and cushions can be off-putting for many parents and carers but most large retailers have assistants who can make sure that you purchase a seat appropriate to your child's needs.

"There is no compromise on this – if you are travelling with children, belt them up!'

Stoke-on-Trent City Council's team manager for road safety and TravelWise, Jim Tunney, added: "It's not only important to make sure the correct child restraint is used but also that it is fitted correctly. At our last child car seat checking day in October, only four out of 52 seats checked were correctly fitted. Parents need to seek advice when purchasing and follow the instructions when fitting."

Ian Sloss, head of risk reduction for Staffordshire Police, said:"We unfortunately attend car crashes on a daily basis, some which can be quite horrific. If parents were to see some of the incidents we attend they would definitely realise the importance of ensuring their children are belted up correctly."