14th June 2007

Ramp up new safety measures for children in family cars

Car manufacturers need to ramp up their safety measures for children according to the Local Authority Road Safety Officers' Association (LARSOA).

Consumers have already been alarmed by a new Which? survey that urged them not to buy four models of child car seats that failed their latest round of safety tests.

LARSOA spokesman Chris King says that car safety seats do not have to conform to tough enough safety standards to protect children adequately in the event of a crash and the responsibility should sit firmly with car manufacturers.

Chris explains: "Car manufacturers design and build cars that can travel at speeds well in excess of 100mph and then sell them to the general public as family cars. But in most cases they make no provision for transporting babies and children. Family cars are apparently designed for families of adults.

"It is hardly fair that parents then have to make crucial decisions about choosing a suitable restraint for their child. Understanding what type of fitting system it should have, where to fit it and then being responsible for the correct adjustment every time they travel in the car is complicated."

He adds: "Is it right that manufacturers of nursery equipment should be making car seats instead of car manufacturers. I certainly wouldn't expect a furniture manufacturer to be making my car seat!"

In September last year the law was tightened making making it compulsory for children up to 135cms (approximately 4ft 5ins) use the appropriate child restraint, for example a car seat or booster cushion.

LARSOA is pleased that in the nine months since the law changed there has been an encouraging rise in the use of the correct child safety seats but there is still work to be done with a significant number of children who travel in vehicles wearing only an adult seat belt.

The consumer organisation Which? advises parents not to assume that because a child car seat has reached the minimum safety standard and is on sale in the UK that it will protect a child in a crash.

While any car seat is better than no car seat at all, some seats are not doing the job that parents might expect. Even though they are deemed safe under minimum standards and are being sold to parents who trust these guidelines, the standards are not tough enough to ensure adequate protection in crashes.

Chris concludes: "When you or I get in the car, we simply pull our seat belt across and buckle it up. Why shouldn't the same apply to children? It's time manufacturers made proper provision for children in family cars."

ABOUT LARSOA

LARSOA is a national road safety organisation representing road safety officers (RSOs) employed in local government across the UK.

LARSOA represents 185 of the 200 eligible local authorities across the UK, assisting RSOs to fulfil their statutory role to reduce the number and severity of road casualties through education, training and publicity programmes.

LARSOA publishes an up-to-date round-up of road safety news from across the UK on its website www.larsoa.org.uk .

LARSOA also aims to influence national debate - government policy and action together with public opinion. The association works to achieve national recognition for road safety issues, commissions research into behaviour which contributes to road collisions and develops national road safety campaigns.

The association assists in identifying achievable national targets to reduce the number of collisions on the country's roads.