Wheel Well sparks safety seat programme
When a six kilogram child hits the windscreen after the car in which it is travelling comes to an instant stop from just 60 km/h, the force exerted on its little body is equivalent to being hit as hard as possible with a two kilogram hammer.
Even when a car slows suddenly – such as in an emergency stop – a child will be flung forward and possibly seriously hurt from the rapid deceleration.
Wheel Well, a non-profit organisation, is well aware of the harm that can come to an unrestrained child, and strives to get this message across to the parents. But many families cannot afford the equipment and accessories that make it possible to travel safely, no matter how badly the parents want this for their children.
Wheel Well collects, repairs/sterilises and then redistributes used child seats and, making their task easier is Peugeot Motors South Africa. PMSA have loaned Wheel Well a Peugeot Partner panelvan – which will be pressed into service to ease the logistics which come with this task.
The Partner may appear small on the outside. But a 3 300 litre interior volume and an 850 kilogram load capacity make it a serious load-lugger, as does the ability to carry a crew of three in the cab. A zesty, 1.6-litre powerplant ensures it performs even when fully loaded.
94.7 Highveld Stereo presenters Darren Simpson and Samantha Cowen have also thrown their weight behind the project and urged road users to donate their used car seats and give a child the gift of safety.
“Being a dad my heart goes out to parents who cannot afford car seats for their kids. If you have a car seat that your child has outgrown or is not being used, I urge you to donate it,” said Simpson.
Peggie Mars, the founder of Wheel Well said they hoped to collect 1 500 used seats this year, and access to a proper commercial vehicle was going to make life easier.
“The Peugeot Partner is perfectly suited to the task and it is great to see that it has a load of in-built safety features,” she said.
“It will also become a travelling billboard for our campaign, and will be used for display purposes at malls, schools, and awareness campaigns,” Mars added.
Francis Harnie, managing director of Peugeot South Africa said every parent had the safety of their children foremost in mind, but it wasn’t always possible to control every aspect of their environment, especially in a country like South Africa which was a complicated mix of first and third world circumstances.
“Wheel Well is a cause which strives to bridge this divide and we’re thrilled to be able to help them,” said Harnier.
“The wealthier suburbs must be awash with child seats that are no longer needed!”
