BOOSTER SEAT SAFETY WARNING TO PARENTS

Parents in Carmarthenshire are putting their children at risk on car journeys by not using a booster seat, road safety officers are warning.

Seatbelt and child car seat surveys were carried out at Saron, Nantgaredig and Pontyberem primary schools, with worrying results.

Several cars were stopped at each of the schools and the drivers spoken to.

Current UK law requires children to use a booster seat until they are 12 years old or 135cm tall (whichever comes first).

If children do not use a booster seat and are too small for the seatbelt, the belt can cause serious – or even fatal – injuries.

A new report, published by Good Egg Safety, suggests that one third of children aged eight to 11 years may not be using a booster seat as required by law.

Council road safety officer Nicola Olsson said: “Worryingly, most of the drivers stopped didn’t even know that their children should still be using a booster seat.

“The drivers were given advice and information regarding the appropriate seats for their children.

“Seatbelts are designed for adult use. A booster seat lifts a child up high enough so that the adult seat belt fits across their hips and chest safely.”

The council teamed up with Ammanford, Llandeilo and Cross Hands neighbourhood policing teams and community safety Officers from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service to carry out the school surveys.

Officers recommend using a high-back booster seat rather than a booster cushion to provide children with adequate head, neck and torso protection from side impacts, which booster cushions do not offer.

Parents are also being reminded that if they are going on holiday, in some European countries including France and Southern Ireland, their children have to be 150cm tall before using an adult seatbelt. And if you are hiring a car, check what seat they are providing as they may not fit it for you. It is the driver’s responsibility to comply with the law so do a bit of research before you go.