Kidsafe Victoria has shared their concerns about child safety in the family car after discovering almost 90% of child car restraints are incorrectly fitted.
The Safe Seats, Safe Kids program have found 86% of carseats to be incorrectly fitted or used.
Children are 4-5 times more likely to receive a life-threatening injury if not correctly restrained in the car.
An inspection of 16,000 car restraints in vehicles discovered 47% needed adjusting with 2% not fit for use.
It’s scary to hear that around 7 children are killed and 300 injured on the roads every year in Victoria alone.
Crotch check!
Did you know that the correct placement of the crotch buckle is just as important as harness height in helping to keep your little one safe in the car?
Check the crotch buckle is low on the pelvis and as close to the body as possible.
This ensures the harness spreads the forces of a collision evenly over the stronger parts of the body (hips and shoulders) and minimises the risk of your baby slipping forward or being ejected from their restraint in a collision.
You can book an appointment for a professional to check your child car restraint free of charge by visiting the Safe Seats, Safe Kids website.
