Campaign focuses on new child car restraint laws
Released: 20 March 2007
Road safety officers from Wolverhampton City Council are joining forces with colleagues from local authorities across the Midlands to place the focus on new child car restraint laws.
The new rules, which came into effect last September, mean that all children must use the correct car seats, booster seats and seat belts in cars, vans and other goods vehicles.
The latest road safety campaign organised by the Mercia Road Safety Officers Group - which comprises of 14 local authorities across the Midlands including Wolverhampton City Council - is reinforcing this important change in legislation.
Councillor Peter Bilson, Wolverhampton City Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Enterprise, said: “It is vital that children are provided with the right car restraint when travelling on the road.
“The campaign is timed to coincide with the six month anniversary of the new legislation being introduced, which it is predicted could save up to 2,000 child casualties a year.
“Together with authorities across the Midlands, we hope to highlight to parents, carers and children just how important these new laws are.”
Stan Milewski, Chair of the Mercia Road Safety Officers Group, said: “Even though legislation changed last September, we are still seeing drivers transporting children either without the correct restraints, or in some cases no restraints at all.
“This is highly irresponsible behaviour. The change in the law was necessary because too many children were being injured as car occupants. Everyone knows that seat belts save lives but it’s also important to make sure that they fit in order to do the job properly.”
The changes mean that:
- All children under three years old must use the correct child seat when travelling in any car, van, or goods vehicle (except in the rear of a taxi if a child seat is not available).
- In vehicles where seat belts are fitted, children aged three years to 135cm or 12 years old (whichever they reach first) must use the correct child restraint appropriate to their weight.
- Taller children over 135cm and all those aged 12 and over must use adult belts.
- Rear-facing baby seats must not be used in seats with an active frontal air bag.
The penalty for not using a child car restraint is a £30 fixed penalty notice or a maximum fine of £500 if the case goes to court.
Local authorities taking part in the Mercia Road Safety Officers Group campaign will be organising displays and child car seat checks at local supermarkets, with trained road safety officers on hand to offer advice and check that child car restraints have been fitted correctly.
Thousands of teacher packs and special tape measures are also being distributed to schools so that teachers can offer a class-based measuring exercise. The pack also includes flyers and/or tax disc holders reminding parents of the new legislation.
All teachers of year three children (seven to eight year olds) in Wolverhampton are being given the packs. Pupils can fill in their height and take the details home to their parents or carers, so they can see if a child car restraint is required.
For further details of activities taking place in Wolverhampton, please contact the city council’s Road Safety Team on 01902 551790.
Issued by the press office.