Children up to 11 years still need booster seats.

21/06/2005

BATH & North East Somerset Council is running a free child car seat safety check at an event to mark Child Safety Week .

The event is being held today (Tuesday, June 21) from 2pm to 3.30pm, at the Tom Hutton Play Area Somervale Road Radstock. Is an initiative organised in partnership with Avonsafe the area’s local accident prevention group.

The use of child car seats is very high for babies and very young children and then drops off sharply.

Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Traffic & Safety Team are reminding parents that they need to use a child restraint or booster seat until the child is 11 years old, or their height is in excess of 1.6m (5ft) and their weight is in excess of 36kg (79lb). Only then, will an adult seat belt activate effectively for them in a collision.

Research conducted in 2003 by the Department of transport THINK! Campaign has shown that up to 94 per cent of respondents with a child aged up to three years said that their child always travels in a purpose made restraint, but this dropped to 66 per cent for children aged four to six and to 41 per cent for children aged 7-9 years.

The lowest figure was for children aged 10-11 years at 26 per cent. The research also showed that 15 toddlers died in car accidents and 173 were seriously injured. Most accidents happen on local journeys at low speeds, often on the school run.

Bath & North East Somerset's accident statistics show that over three years more children are injured in cars than as cyclists or pedestrians.