Colouring skills gain boost for family

FIRST PRIZE: Tiare, Keri and Roina Knight are presented with a new booster seat by Plunket car seat technicians Stephanie Stevenson and Viv Bird, and Bruce Pauling of the Wairarapa Road Safety Council.

Thanks to his sister's artistic colouring skills, Masterton tot Tiare Knight can be safely buckled in during car trips.

The Wairarapa Road Safety Council and the Plunket Car Seat Rental Service presented Tiare, 2, sister Roina, 7, and mum Keri Knight with a new booster seat, which Roina won in a colouring competition.

The council organised the competition at a "whanau day" at the Genesis Recreation Centre and the booster seat prize to help families struggling with the cost of child restraints.

Council road safety manager Bruce Pauling said there was a need for family assistance in Wairarapa, as roadside restraint checkpoints had revealed a high rate of non-compliance.

"I keep seeing kids who are either incorrectly restrained in the car seat they've got, or who are in the incorrect restraint for their age and weight," said Mr Pauling.

"But, we know how difficult things can be financially for parents, so we want to assist them in any way we can.

"We want to make sure all kids are kept safe in the appropriate child restraint."

Mrs Knight said she was "very excited" to receive the new booster seat.