Thursday 22nd July 2010
Over the last seven years, almost 7000 child car seats have been tested at special car clinics throughout the country and over half (51%) were either incorrectly fitted, or incompatible with the child or the make or model of the car they were being used in.
If a child is sitting in the right type of seat and correctly restrained, it is ninety percent less likely to be killed in a collision.
However an unrestrained child can be killed or seriously injured in an impact at speeds as low as 5mph. In a collision at 30mph, an unrestrained child would hit the front seat - and anyone sitting in it – with a force of between 30 to 60 times their own body weight.
For the eighth consecutive year, West Dunbartonshire Council is supporting the ‘Scottish Good Egg In-Car Child Safety’ campaign and encouraging local residents to attend the child car seat clinic which will be taking place, to give practical assistance and advice to parents and to reduce the number of incorrectly fitted child car seats.
This free safety event will take place at:
Morrisons Supermarket, Glasgow Road, Dumbarton on Thursday 29th July from 9.30am to 3.30pm.
The ‘Good Egg Guide to In-Car Child Safety’ provides information on how to fit a child seat, choosing the right seat, the law and your responsibilities. It offers practical advice and highlights areas where improvements could be made to in-car child safety and to help reduce the number of child passenger casualties.
The Council’s convener for Housing, Environmental Services and Economic Development, Councillor William Hendrie said: "The statistics are extremely worrying because they show that many of the car seats being used by parents are not as safe as one would hope.
"That is why we are backing this campaign and why we would urge parents to carefully read the publicity material being distributed and to also take advantage of the free car seat clinics that have been organised.
"These checks will only take a few moments and they could save your child from very serious injury."
To download the Good Egg Guide or for further information, visit www.stv.tv/childsafety and www.protectchild.co.uk
