Canterbury Police have been working with Plunket and Baby on the Move to help Parents at 22 kindergartens and primary schools to ensure child restraints are safe and installed correctly.
In a month long focus, Police checked 400 vehicles and found 250 restraints were either not installed correctly or not up to standard. In some cases children were using adult seatbelts and not height appropriate restraints.
“A correctly fitted child restraint can mean the difference between life and death, but only if it is fitted correctly and used”, said Senior Sergeant Rob Patterson.
224 of the 250 restraints identified as having issues were corrected by either the Police or Plunket/Baby on the Move child restraint technicians on the spot. The drivers of the vehicles where restraints couldn’t be corrected immediately were offered compliance, with the infringement notice, where they are allowed a period of time to fix the problem and avoid paying a $150 fine.
“Most people weren’t aware that, like crash helmets, child restraints had an expiry date. It pays to check the expiry date before purchasing a restraint to make sure it is safe and compliant. Anybody that is unsure whether their seat is fitted correctly should contact a qualified child restraint technician such as Plunket or Baby on the Move. They will check the restraint is appropriate and for your child.”
The most common restraint faults identified were them not being within their expiry date (10 years from date of manufacture) and not fitted correctly in the vehicle.
ENDS
Issued by: Lisa-Marie Brooks, District Communications Manager, Canterbury Police District. Mobile: 021 942 404
Supporting information: www.NZTA.govt.nz/resources/factsheets/07/child-restraints.html