GMTV announces CHECK IT FITS campaign

GMTV has unveiled plans to run a high-profile campaign stressing the importance of child car safety, and in particular encouraging parents to ensure that children are always in a properly fitted car seat or booster seat. The campaign will run 6-10 September inclusive.

GMTV's aim is to go further than in previous years by joining forces with car seat manufacturers, retailers and car companies - as well as DfT and road safety officers - to get the message across.

One of the campaign's key aims is to improve information given to parents at point of sale - and to make a permanent change in the way child car seats are sold. GMTV has developed a swing tag that it wants to see attached to all child seats and restraints that are sold. The swing tag will clearly explain to purchasers the importance of checking three basic points before they buy:

• that the seat fits the make and model of their car
• that it is the right seat for their child - weight, height and age all make a difference
• that the seat is properly fitted before use - closely following the manufacturer's instructions.

Many major manufacturers have agreed to tag their products. The tags will also carry details of the manufacturer's customer advice line and direct people to the GMTV website www.gmtv.co.uk, for more information.

A host of major retailers have signed up to promote the initiative with pledges to improve the level of information and advice offered to customers. These include Toys R Us, Halfords, John Lewis, Mothercare, Argos, Asda and Woolworth.

The retailers' role will include providing more customer information at point of sale, getting sales staff to ensure that customers have checked what they are buying, and directing customers to specially trained staff in store.

GMTV's coverage will include teams of trained experts touring the country offering free installation checks in 15 locations across Great Britain during the week of transmission. These locations are:

Monday 6 September
Dudley Mothercare
Edinburgh Big W
Plymouth Halfords

Tuesday 7 September
Brent Cross Toys R Us
Gateshead Mothercare
Exeter Halfords

Wednesday 8 September
Reading Toys R Us
Pudsey Asda
Taunton Halfords

Thursday 9 September
Havant Asda
Nottingham Toys R Us
Cardiff Mothercare

Friday 10 September
Croydon Mothercare
Coventry Toys R Us
Cribbs Causeway (Sth Gloucester) Asda

More information about the campign can be found at www.gmtv.co.uk.