Don’t let your child’s safety take a back seat

As part of Child Safety Week 2015 (1st – 7th June), Neath Port Talbot’s council’s Trading Standards officers are offering free child car seat safety checks. The theme for this year is ‘Teatime Terrors’. It aims to highlight the risk of accidents at this time of day, for example road accidents caused by heavy traffic while rushing home from school and nursery.

The council’s Trading Standards officers certainly won’t be taking a back seat during the week and will be out and about offering good advice and free checks on child car seats to ensure that they are fitted and being used correctly. Every year, children are avoidably harmed in car accidents because their car seats are unsuitable or just aren’t fitted correctly.

They will also be handing out packs for parents containing advice on product safety topics and advising on how to avoid dangers associated with items such as window blind cords, washing tablets and batteries.

Anyone who has questions about how to safely use their child car seat can pop along to Tesco in Pontardawe on Monday 1st June between 9am and 4pm or to Morrisons in Baglan on Wednesday 3rd June between 9am and 4pm.
Council Leader Ali Thomas said, “Every parent wants to make sure their child is safe however, incorrectly installed car seats can put children in real danger.

“Campaigns like this give parents and people who look after children the chance to make sure their car seats are properly fitted and suitable for each child’s age, size and weight.”

For useful safety advice throughout the year you can follow Environmental Health and Trading Standards on facebook: www.facebook.com/NptEnvHealthTradingStandards or twitter: www.twitter.com/NPTEHTS