Parents failing to restrain their children in cars are playing Russian roulette with their kids' lives, a Rotorua car seat campaigner says.
Not using car seats or child restraints was nothing short of child abuse, Plunket car seat said technician Brydie Wharerau-Tukiwaho.
"They [children] become missiles if you have an accident. It's a life you are taking a risk with," she said.
In a crash a mobile phone becomes the weight of a brick and a baby weighing less than 3.1kg travelling at 50km/h becomes 155kg from the force.
"It's impossible to keep hold of an infant at this weight."
New Zealand law states children aged between birth and 5 years old be properly restrained in an approved child restraint appropriate for their age and height.
This week the Government announced plans to make it compulsory for all children up to the age of 7 to use booster seats.
The law is set to come into force next year.
It is recommended they stay in a booster seat until they are 148cm tall as under this height is too short for an adult seat.
It is a move Rotorua Parents Centre says will save lives.
Parents Centre marketing promoter Yvonne Vincent said her children aged 6 and 8 still used booster seats and would continue to do so until tall enough for an adult seatbelt.
"It's a great idea. My children are still in them because the seat belt doesn't fit them properly if they aren't. It fits them safely and they can see out the window. This could save lives."
However, people needed to be aware of when a child should be taken out of a car seat and put into a booster seat as many did so for convenience when it wasn't safe, Mrs Vincent said.
"We need to educate people on what is a safe child seat so they aren't taken out of car seats too early just because it's easier. People need to know," she said.
Statistics prove a child under 148cm tall will not fit an adult safety belt properly.
Plunket offers a car seat rental scheme providing appropriate seats for toddlers and babies for a fee of $60 for six months hireage and a $40 refundable bond.
Mrs Wharerau-Tukiwaho said it was recommended children under 2 years old were in rear-facing car seats, with a 75 per cent chance of surviving an accident.
She said people needed to be wary of buying second-hand car seats. It could have been in an accident weakening the plastic, or the straps could be slightly worn from exposure to the sun, mildew and usage, she said.
"You can never be sure of the life history of a car seat even if you're told it hasn't been in an accident, you can never be too sure. There could be cracks and bruising you can't see. The cracks weaken the structure and can also cause splitting in the structure of the seat ... They sit in the sun all day and the straps can fray. There could be food stuck in the buckle causing it to not work under pressure," she said.
Car seats needed to be fitted properly, too.
"They need to be anchored in. The force of an accident can make them fly forward if not anchored in."
Carseats must be bolted in.
Young babies who fell asleep while travelling in the car should not be left in the seat once you reached your destination, Mrs Wharerau-Tukiwaho said.
"Car seats are not containers. They are only to get you from A to B. A newborn's neck isn't strong enough for them to lift the head themselves when they are laying in a capsule. If the head flops forward it could interfere with breathing. While you might think they are just sleeping and you don't want to disturb them, they could in fact be not breathing.
"Keeping the seat at the correct angle in the car is very important for this reason."
Never use a lap belt with a booster seat. Harnesses hold the child into the seat and can be used with booster seats.
Every car seat has an expiry date on it rendering them unsafe anywhere between six and 10 years after manufacture.
The expiry date is on a disc at the rear of the seat. Every car seat should have an embossed date stamp on it.
If a car seat doesn't have five red ticks or a yellow approved standard for use in New Zealand safety sticker on it, it is not a safe or legal to use in New Zealand.
Rotorua Plunket's Car Seat Rental Scheme office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings 9am-1pm at 1436 Pukuatua St. To contact them, call (07) 349 2608.
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FACTS:
Stage 1 ages 0-2 or 12kg - Rear facing. Baby has grown out of car seat when their head reaches the top of the car seat.
Stage 2 ages 2-5 or 17kg - Forward facing. Harness works best. Check recommended maximum weight on the car seat.
Stage 3 - ages 4+. Booster Seats. No child under 17kg can use a booster seat. Children under the age of 7 are required to be in a booster seat/child restraint if there is an appropriate one in the vehicle. It is recommended a child stays in a booster until they are 148cm in height as adult seatbelts aren't suitable for under this height.
PRICES:
Rear Facing: $149.95 - $599.95
Forward Facing: $149.95 - $599.95
Booster Seats: $129.95 - $269.95 (can be bought with or without harnesses)
Plunket Rotorua also has discounted car seats and boosters available for low-income families to buy. Check prices with them. They also hire out car seats.