Car seat failures put kids at risk

There are an alarming rate of car seat failures in Wanganui.

On-going checks of child car restraints continue to show up an alarming failure rate.

One driver even suggested she didn't want children's car seats in her "expensive" vehicle because the installation might damage it.

The latest "restraint stop" in Wanganui checked 117 cars and found 47 of those vehicles had children's car seats incorrectly fitted.

Glenda Leitao, Roadsafe coordinator Wanganui and Rangitikei, said Plunket co-ordinated the checks.

The latest checks were carried out on November 20 outside Faith Academy in Springvale Rd and in Wanganui East. These checks showed the number of children in the correct restraints had improved from a 57 per cent fail rate in August to a 34.7 per cent failure rate this time. "But the fail rate is still far too high and it is mostly that parents or caregivers have the right child restraint, but either haven't secured the restraint correctly in their vehicle or the child is not restrained correctly," Ms Leitao said. "Sometimes the child is in the wrong-sized restraint, and quite often the seat is not bolted and tethered."

The previous restraints check was held on August 25 outside the Tawhero Golf Course and in Aramoho. Ms Leitao said Plunket has funding from Horizons Regional Council for anchor bolts and their installation costs.

"It also has other funding for a limited amount of child restraints, and they can use these to help families who are struggling to purchase or hire restraints," Ms Leitao said.

"One woman complained to Plunket that her vehicle was very expensive and she didn't want them damaging it. Of course her child was incorrectly restrained. But most families are very happy to have Plunket check that their children are safely restrained," she said. In the latest roadside checks, 1000 pens and postcards were handed out with information on the changes to the drink-drive regulations which come into effect on Monday.

Veronica Fieldsend, Plunket's car seat area manager, said there were 187 children being carried in the 117 cars they checked. Of that number 122 were in the correct restraints while another 58 children were helped on the day or help was organised for them. A further three seats were donated, 15 drivers were given proper seat anchor bolts and 11 seats were properly installed.