Strap in your kids this festive season – RMI
Besides the threat of a fine, the reality of what can happen to a child in the event of an accident should motivate drivers to do the right thing.
Christmas is fast approaching and exhausted parents and excited kids are eager to hop into their vehicles and hit the road for the much-anticipated holidays.
Jakkie Olivier, CEO of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), however, wanted to remind parents to make sure that their kids are strapped in and wearing their seatbelts during the whole journey.
“Sadly, there are going to be fatalities on our roads this festive season, many of which will be children simply because they were not strapped in,” he said.
If a vehicle is involved in a collision at 50km/h and a baby is sitting on an adult’s lap on the front seat, the child will be hurled through the windscreen with an impact similar to that of falling from a three-storey window. Alternatively, the child will be crushed against the dashboard by the force of the adult’s body weight, which is 30 times heavier at the moment of impact, i.e. 45kg becomes 1 360kg.
“Please invest in car seats for your children and strap them in this festive season, and every day even after the holidays. Besides the threat of a fine, should a driver be caught with a child not buckled in, the reality of what can happen to a child in the event of an accident should motivate drivers to do the right thing,” he said.
The Medical Research Council (MRC) has reported that road traffic accidents are the leading cause of injury deaths among children younger than five year old in South Africa, with most of these a result of children not in car seats. Over and above that the majority of brain damage cases in children under the age of five are directly related to injuries sustained during car accidents.
“There are options for parents who feel they can’t afford car seats. Revamped second-hand car seats are available at reduced prices at several stores around the country. Please also make sure that the car seat you select is appropriate for your vehicle. If you are unsure, don’t hesitate to contact an RMI member dealership or independent workshop. It is very important that the seat fits and is fitted correctly into the vehicle,” Jakkie concluded.
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