City-wide blitz on kids’ car seats
Kids too big for their car seats and unattached tether straps were among the top mistakes found during a police and Plunket operation at checkpoints in Porirua this month.
The most common faults identified were tether straps not attached to anchor bolts, seatbelts not correctly routed through the car seat and children that had outgrown their current car seat.
Plunket’s national advisor for child safety Sue Campbell said vehicle crashes are one of the biggest dangers to children in New Zealand.
Correct installation of car seats was ‘‘critically important’’.
Under New Zealand law, all children must be in an appropriate child restraint until their 7th birthday, and until 8 if there is a restraint in the vehicle.
Children should remain in a restraint beyond what is legally required - until they are tall enough for a seatbelt to fit them correctly, which is about 148 centimetres tall.
It is strongly recommended that to keep babies and toddlers safe, they travel rear-facing until 2 years of age.
Older children should stay in their forward-facing child restraint or booster seat until they outgrow it.
Kapiti Mana area commander Inspector Tracey Thompson said the Porirua Neighbourhood Policing Team had been checking vehicles with Plunket assessors.
She encouraged parents and caregivers to use approved child restraints, and get expert advice on how to fit them.
‘‘When we check vehicles, we want to ensure that tamariki and children are not only properly restrained, but also that those restraints are being used correctly.’’
It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure all passengers under 15 are wearing suitable restraints.
A Ministry of Transport national survey in 2014 found 93 per cent of children under 5 were in appropriate restraints.
Another survey in 2015 found 95 per cent of 5-9 year olds were in the correct restraints.