Free safety checks to curb common car restraint mistakes

Mayor of Liverpool Wendy Waller is urging parents with young children across Liverpool to ensure their children are completely car safe, with the easing of COVID-19 restrictions resulting in more young families on our roads.

“More young families are likely to be hitting the road to visit family and friends or for an interstate adventure in the immediate aftermath of restrictions lifting and, in the lead up to Christmas,” said Mayor Waller.

“There has never been a better time to ensure your child car seats, harnesses and booster seats are giving your young ones the best possible protection.”

Concerningly, Transport for NSW indicates as many as two in three car seats are not being used properly, highlighting many young children travelling in restraints are at risk of serious injury in the event of a car crash.

“Parents always have the best intentions about their children’s safety. We teach our children about road safety from a very young age; however, we also need to consider the risks inside our cars,” said Mayor Waller.

Recent research from Neuroscience Research Australia, The George Institute of Global Health and the Faculty of Medicine at the University of New South Wales found that inappropriate or incorrect use of child restraints can influence crash injury outcomes. In fact, restraint factors were a primary contributor in 34 per cent of child passenger deaths in New South Wales between 2007 and 2016.

To help reduce common restraint errors and ensure children are properly restrained, Liverpool City Council has partnered with Transport for NSW (TfNSW) to provide child car seat safety checks six times each year – free of charge. Authorised restraint fitters will be checking child car seats, harnesses, and booster seats for safety and fit. The safety checks will take place on Friday 22 October, 10.30am-1.30pm at Liverpool Catholic Club.

Part of the Local Government Road Safety Program, the Child Restraint Checking initiative promotes the importance of having correctly installed child restraints, appropriate to their child’s age (particularly those aged between 0-7 years).

Over the last 12 months, 200 vehicles and 287 child restraints were inspected by TfNSW approved fitters from Little’s Child Restraints. Data collected indicates that almost 85 per cent of restraints checked for correct fit and/or installation required some form of adjustment. Only 7 per cent of all restraints checked were deemed to have been installed correctly and being used appropriately.

Meanwhile, almost 40 per cent of restraints that were booked in had to be initially installed by the authorised fitters as parents did not feel comfortable installing it themselves.

“We are delighted to be providing this essential service to our community which could save lives,” Mayor Waller said.

Bookings are essential. Residents can make a booking through Council’s Customer Service Centre on 1300 36 2170. For more information on keeping children car safe go to; https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/children/childcarseats/index.html