Child safety in cars a worry
New research from Volvo has shown that parents are more anxious about child safety than ever, writes
Anew overseas study from Volvo has shown that parents believe today’s roads are more dangerous for families. More than six in 10 parents say it is harder to keep children safe while driving than it was two years ago. More than nine in 10 believe too many people drive recklessly and endanger families on the road.
New Zealanders aged under-15 have a higher fatality rate on the road than youngsters in 17 of the 29 other countries represented in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Traffic Accident data, and the latest Ministry of Transport figures show that of the 377 fatalities on New Zealand roads last year, 4 per cent were younger than 15.
‘‘The research shows parents are twice as likely to drive defensively with their family in the car than when driving alone (42 per cent versus 25 per cent) and nine in 10 (88 per cent) are more conscious of the example they are setting when their children are in the car,’’ said Coby Duggan, Volvo New Zealand general manager.
Duggan says parents are actively seeking new ways to protect their loved ones and overcome the anxiety felt from the seemingly endless choices and conflicting information around child safety products.
This issue may be compounded by the contribution of children themselves.
Twenty-two per cent of parents said they have had a toy thrown at them from the back seat, and 18 per cent reported flying food.
More than a third (36 per cent) of parents said their kids have thrown tantrums, and 31 per cent reported children getting sick as a distraction.
The research also found that twothirds (69 per cent) of parents feel distracted while driving with their children, and among new parents, 24 per cent have unintentionally run over a kerb, and 20 per cent admit to getting into a fender bender while driving with children.
More than seven in 10 (71 per cent) admit they have unbuckled their seatbelts while driving with kids; that number rose to 87 per cent among new parents.
The reasons given for doing this ranged from reaching for items elsewhere in the vehicle (42 per cent), reaching for something a child dropped (35 per cent), to consoling a child (28 per cent) or intervening when kids are arguing (24 per cent).
As a result of the study, Volvo also released several simple safety hints to help put anxious parent at ease behind the wheel:
Most parents (71 per cent) have admitted to unbuckling their seatbelts while driving with children in the back seat. The three-point safety belt, a 60-year-old Volvo invention credited with saving more than one million lives, is still the most essential safety system in today’s cars and should always be worn.
Children can be difficult travelling companions, with nearly one in three parents reporting their kids have thrown a tantrum or become sick in the back seat at least once while on the road. Whether to reach for an item, console a child or break up an argument – it’s safer to pull over and address the issue than to take your eyes off the road, even when stopped.
Surprisingly, one in five parents have admitted to getting into a fender bender with their children in the car.
Parents often find themselves distracted on the road while driving with children, with 20 per cent reporting they’ve had a toy thrown at them from the back seat. Limit the number of devices or larger items in the back seat that could become projectiles in the event of a crash.
National recommendations in the United States state that children should remain in the back seat at least through age 12, when their bodies are mature enough and big enough to use a vehicle safety belt properly.
Cars can heat up incredibly quickly, increasing the risk of heat stroke for young children, whose bodies heat up faster than those of adults. While it might seem easier to leave a child strapped in to run a quick errand, it’s vitally important to ensure their safety.
Volvo says the research was conducted within the US by The Harris Poll and surveyed 2000 licensed drivers ages 18 and older, including 1236 licensed new parents.