Child seats don’t come cheap, but it’s one of the most important things you can do for your child's safety while travelling. If you’re a parent, getting a quality car seat for your kids should be one of your top priorities. It’s not only the right thing to do, but also law in South Africa.
It is illegal to for an infant (a child under 3 years) to travel without being strapped into a suitable car seat. The law came into effect with good reason. The Medical Research Council states that car crashes are the leading cause of injury and/or deaths among children under the age of 5 in South Africa.
Car seats can lower child road fatalities because they:
• Reduce injuries.
• Prevent children from ejecting out of the vehicle in a crash.
• Prevent injury to other passengers.
Once you’ve done adulting right and purchased a child car seat, make sure it’s fitted correctly (and safely). Wheels 24 recently published a video where Volvo explains how you should fit your car seats and how you should manage your airbags. Watch the video here.
Volvo Cars strongly recommend that kids under 4 years old travel rearward facing. The car safety leader also advises that all children up to 140 cm in height always use a child restraint when sitting in the front or the rear seat of the car.
According to the Western Cape Government, kids who sit in rear-facing car seats have the best protection for their head, neck and spine. Accident research has shown that rearward facing car seats reduce serious injuries by 92%.
It is however important to make sure that the car seat is not only facing backwards, but also the correct size and the perfect fit for your vehicle. The seat should be securely fastened and not be able to rock your toddler sideways.
Always put your child’s safety first, but don’t forget about your roadster. Get a dotsure.co.za car insurance quote in minutes here.
Safe travels!
