Mar 21 - Ballito Umhl

your baby or toddler safe on car journeys. In SA the law states that it
is illegal for an infant (a child under 3 years) to travel without being
strapped into a suitable car seat – and crash tests show that children
under 1.5m are much safer in car seats or boosters. Children strapped in
with seatbelts before they are tall enough to achieve a good fit for the
seatbelt, were found to be three times more likely to be injured in a crash
than adults. Ensure you get the correct car seat for your child’s age and
weight and install it correctly (see tips below).
Never leave children alone in a car
Even if you’re only stepping out of the car for a few minutes, you should
never leave a child unattended in a car. A variety of dangers can occur,
including a child fiddling with controls causing the car to move. On a
hot day, the temperature inside a car can also get to dangerously high
levels and cause serious harm or even death. Children are particularly
susceptible to overheating and dehydration, and inside a hot car, a
toddler’s body temperature can rise three to five times as quickly as that
of an adult, which can lead directly to heatstroke and death.
Be prepared in the event of a hijacking
Hijackings unfortunately remain a reality and anyone who drives a car
needs to be aware and cautions. Being a victim of hijacking while you
are alone in your vehicle is traumatic enough – but having your children
with you is even more so. Never leave your children in the car alone,
especially if you must get out to open a gate. It is advised that they
exit the vehicle with you, so that you are all separated from the vehicle
should an attack occur. Also, when travelling with your children, The
National Hijack Prevention Academy recommends that the youngest
child should be seated behind the driver and the oldest to the left. If you
are hijacked and need to get out of the car, you can move quickly from
the driver’s door to the door directly behind it. You can reach across the
youngest child to unstrap the older child. The eldest child can cling to
you as you remove them both together. Take the key with you. You need
the key as a ‘negotiating tool’ – the perpetrators want your vehicle, and
you want your children. If you have a central locking system, remember
to open all doors before getting out of the car and handing the keys
over to the hijacker. This will allow you to open your rear passenger doors
and get your children out while the hijacker is getting into the driving
seat. Remain as calm as possible and follow the hijacker’s instructions
interacting with them only to make clear what movements you are
about to make.
Don’t be tempted to text
We all know the temptation to check our cell phones when we hear a
notification – but reading and responding to messages while driving is a
huge no-no. Put your phone on silent while driving. The risk that you put
yourself, your passengers and other road users in by being distracted by
your phone is not worth it.
Activate child safety locks
To prevent children from opening the doors while the car is moving,
activate the child safety locks on your car doors. These locks are usually
found on the inside of the car doors. You should also lock the power
windows to prevent your children from getting injured. Children can
unintentionally trigger a power window, trapping hands, fingers, arms
or even their head. At the push of a button, the driver can make the car
much safer for children by having complete control over power windows.
Tips for using child car seats:
1. Always use a car seat, even on short
trips. It’s obvious, and it’s the law, but we
still sometimes see children travelling
without a car seat. Accidents can happen,
even on the shortest trips. Many children
are taken on trips of less than 3km without
being strapped in, therefore, if unrestrained,
an impact can prove fatal from speeds of
20km/h. In the event of an accident when a
child is not restrained by a safety device, the
risk of being ejected from the car is 6 or 7
times greater.
2. Avoid second-hand car seats. You can
never be sure a second-hand car seat is
a safe car seat. You don’t know if it’s been
damaged in an accident, or has pieces
missing or has been misused in any way.
3. Use the correct size car seat. It’s best to
buy a car seat for your child based on their
current height and weight. Investigate and
consider all your options when purchasing
a seat that claims to cover multiple age
groups.
4. Install car seats correctly. Car seats for
babies under 1 year or 80 cm in height must
always be rear facing; If your car has ISOFIX
Points, you can select any car seat with
either an ISOFIX connection or opt for a seat
that uses your car’s seat belt. ISOFIX Systems
provides increased safety by eliminating
human error when the seat is installed in
the car; If you don’t have ISOFIX you can
use a seat belt installed car seat.; Pull the car
seat’s safety harness tight. If you can just slip
one finger between the harness and your
child’s chest, it’s tight enough.
5. Take your child’s coat off. A thick coat can
make the harness less effective. If your child
is cold, use their coat as a blanket over the
harness.
6. Make sure the safety harness is at the
right height and not twisted. The harness
should always be adjusted to the correct
height setting which is at shoulder height.
Check there are no twists in the straps.
7. Beware of activated frontal airbags.
The safest place for a rear-facing car seat
is on the back seat. This avoids the danger
of front airbags inflating against the seat.
Deactivate the front airbag if you use your
car seat on the front passenger seat and
place this seat in the further most position.
8. Keep loose items off the rear parcel
shelf. In an accident, even small loose items
can turn into dangerous projectiles. Tuck
them away safely. Information supplied by
Child Passenger Safety
March 2021 Get It • Ballito Umhlanga 39