TIPS FOR CHILD SAFETY
Parents and caregivers need to be especially vigilant when driving or near water
AS THE summer holidays draw near, people across the country will be planning long road trips to visit friends and family. It is a time for relaxation, on the beach, around the pool and around the braai. But tragically, for many families, the summer can become a season of mourning.
Children’s safety advocacy organisation, ChildSafe calls on parents and caregivers to be the adults this season, and to prioritise the safety of children.
In particular, said Yolande Baker, ChildSafe executive director, adults need to be especially vigilant when driving or near water.
According to a study by Dr Colleen Saunders (research manager in UCT’s Division of Emergency Medicine) and others, it was found that drowning was the leading cause of death of children and young people worldwide.
Most (78%) drownings happen in large bodies of open water, such as the sea or in dams, with many incidents happening over the summer (42%) and on public holidays (8%).
“Drowning can happen so quickly, even in circumstances where the most observant adults are present. It’s a silent killer. A child can slip under the water without a splash and in seconds, before anyone realises what has happened, it’s too late.”
Every year, 13 000 people do not arrive at their holiday destinations because they are killed in road traffic crashes. Another 265 000 people are injured. Many of those who die and are injured are children.
The Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital treats around 1 000 children who have been involved in road traffic crashes. A 2018 study, conducted by ChildSafe and Unicef, identified the two major reasons for vehicle crashes: speed and inadequate restrains in cars. “At the very minimum, children must be restrained by a seatbelt. Holding the child is not safe.
“In a crash, the child can be ejected on impact or crushed to death under the adult’s weight.”
Speed is another culprit, she said, especially in places where children congregate in residential areas and around schools. “The speed limit of 60km/hour is still too high. All evidence indicates that if a child is hit at 30km/hour, they have a 90% chance of surviving the crash.”
Tips to keep children safe near water:
• Always make sure an adult is present when children are swimming and always supervise your children in or near water.
• Always ensure that children who can't swim wear approved floating aids, eg. water wing.
• Make sure your swimming pool is completely secured by fencing, a self-latching gate, safety covers and pool alarms.
• Never leave small children unattended in the bath; ignore the phone or doorbell or take the child with you.
• Always empty baths, buckets, containers and paddling pools immediately after use and always fit lids firmly on buckets of water.
• Always keep toilet seats closed and install toilet-seat locks plus keep doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed.
• Never allow your children to play, run or ride a bike around swimming pools.
Tips to keep children safe on the roads: All children must be strapped into a suitable child restraint when travelling.
• Don't allow children to sit in the front seat where airbags can cause injury.
• Obey the speed limit.
• As the driver of the vehicle, rest when tired.
Don’t be distracted when driving – looking at your cellphone, taking phone calls, changing the music or looking back to speak to children can all end disastrously.
• Before leaving on a trip, check the brakes and tyres.
• Try not to drive when there is poor visibility or treacherous conditions on the road.
Visit www.childsafe.org.za for a full range of safety tips to guide you in the home, in water, when playing with toys, in the car and what to do in an emergency.