Hamilton Police are worried the importance of correctly securing child car restraints is being ignored following a series of checkpoints carried out with ACC in the City today.
Sergeant Phil Ruddell of the Hamilton Strategic Traffic Unit said it was disappointing to note 47 infringement notices were issued to drivers for incorrectly secured restraints or for using no restraints at all while transporting children.
"Bearing in mind these tickets were issued only in relation to pre-schoolers, in the worst case encountered a 6-month-old child was found just sitting on the back seat of a car, not restrained at all.
"In another an unlicensed 14-year-old driver approached the checkpoint after having dropped her siblings off for her mother, we're currently looking into likely follow up action."
Mr Ruddell said the campaign didn't get off to a good start with the very first car stopped at a checkpoint in Nawton revealing four children in the back seat.
"That's obviously an issue before you even look at what restraints are being used being that cars are only fitted with a maximum of three seatbelts in the back seat."
Another driver was seen to pull over and unload her children from a van when she noticed a checkpoint had been established, leaving them to walk the rest of the way to play centre and school.
"Then staff saw witness a mother tell her child to climb out of the front seat, hop in the back and buckle itself in- it wasn't a good look at all."
The Police participation follows a series of check ups carried out by Accident Compensation staff where they checked the level of child car restraint compliance in Hamilton.
ACC Injury Prevention Consultant, Lisa Taylor, said the checkpoints, which will run over the next two weeks were the second phase of the operation.
"Earlier we'd been to kindergartens around the city to gauge compliance on the use of child restraints and booster seats.
"Unfortunately the level of compliance is currently only 65 per cent in Hamilton which is not good enough, we want to be able to raise it to at least 75 per cent," she said.
"A campaign run with Police last year resulted in some horrific discoveries including young children being transported in the foot wells and boots of cars."
Ms Taylor said the campaign focused on four key points, the first being that car seat tethers are correctly attached to cars while the second is educating people of the risks to children from airbags.
"Airbags are positioned to deploy at great speed into the chest area of and adult which also happens to be about the same height of were a young child's face would be, compounding the risk of neck injuries," said Ms Taylor.
"If children must travel in the front seat ensure the seat is moved as far back as possible to minimise the risk."
Other areas of focus are battling complacency and the risks posed by expired car seats.
Predominantly made of plastic, car seats can be prone to sun damage and while most have a life expectancy of 10 years some are rated for lesser periods such as five or six years.
"Then there's the corrosive effects of bile, vomit or faeces on straps which can affect the capability of a device that is designed to protect one of our most precious cargoes."
"We also recommend people keep their children in booster seats for as long as possible and try and use the over the shoulder sash type seat belts- stay away from the lap belts," said Ms Taylor.
Mr Ruddell said the subject of properly fitted child car restraints was particularly topical given a tragedy west of Hamilton last week.
"Last Wednesday Police attended a crash at Ngahinapouri in which a truck had collided with a four-wheel-drive killing a three-year-old boy.
"The boy's parents have publicly credited the car seat the boy's two year-old brother was travelling in, that was properly tethered, as playing a major factor in the second child's survival."
Mr Ruddell said Police couldn't think of a better example to emphasise the importance of properly restraining children travelling in motor vehicles.
"The cargo in question is just too valuable to take risks with," he said.
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