Nearly all cars stopped during a new Hawke's Bay police checkpoint campaign needed alterations to their car seats. Photo / Warren Buckland
Nearly all cars stopped during a new Hawke's Bay police checkpoint campaign needed alterations to their car seats. Photo / Warren Buckland
Almost all of the 60 vehicles stopped during a five-hour police checkpoint in the region didn't meet child-restraint regulations.
Operation Whānau Haumaru (Safe Families) was a checkpoint aimed to ensure children are safe by checking car seats were correctly fitted and tamariki were safely strapped in.
The new campaign byHawke's Bay police checked 60 vehicles in Hastings and Napier on Tuesday, and nearly all car seats needed altering.
Napier police family harm intervention team co-ordinator Sergeant Marie Marshall said 90 seats - some cars had more than one - were checked during the campaign.
"[Most] had good car seats with their children strapped in, however, nearly all of the child restraints needed alterations, installation of anchor points, harness changes and some complete reinstallation," she said.
"With Christmas just around the corner and many families travelling away during the summer holidays, now is the time for people to ensure they have an effective car seat for their children, that's fitted correctly," she added.
Road Safe Hawke's Bay road safety co-ordinator Liz Schlierike said the region had high use rates of child restraints, but many were not used correctly.
"What we see on the roadside with police tells a very different story to what many think, with the majority of seats needing at least little corrections – if not, a complete reinstall," she said.
Schlierike said with dozens of different seats available, the exact way to install a car seat is in the manufacturer's instructions.
"All seats that are used in New Zealand meet a safety standard," she said. "But you must make sure you have the correct seat for your car and the correct seat for your child.
"It's vital the seats are fitted as per the manufacturer's instructions. The seat must fit into your car and [be] a suitable seat for your child."
A Plunket spokeswoman said around three quarters of all child restraints were not installed correctly, but most parents were not aware of this.
"Having a correctly installed child restraint is incredibly important in ensuring the safety of tamariki in cars," she said.
"The best way for parents and caregivers to ensure their child restraints are correctly installed is by consulting a child restraint technician who can check the installation and make any corrections as needed."
Operation Whanau Haumaru (Safe Families) saw about 60 cars stopped across Hastings and Napier on Tuesday, with nearly all needing alterations to their car seats. Photo / Warren Buckland
A Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Central North Island spokeswoman said while any child restraint could help save lives, it was vital the restraint was installed correctly to keep children safe.
According to NZTA, all children under the age of 7 must use an approved child restraint appropriate for their age and size under New Zealand law.
The use of an appropriate child restraint or booster seat is encouraged until a child reaches 148cm tall or is aged 11.
Child restraint and medical professionals recommend babies are put in rear-facing restraints until as old as practicable, at least until the age of 2.
To give your child the best protection, the restraint must fit the vehicle correctly, be right for your child and meet an approved standard, according to NZTA.
The operation was in collaboration with Roadsafe Hawke's Bay, the Ministry of Social Development and Te Hahi.
Car seats can be hired from local community groups, health providers and retailers like Baby on the Move and Baby Factory.
