Restraints
DID YOU KNOW?
- Just by wearing a safety belt you can reduce the chance of death and serious injury in a crash by 40%!
- It is estimated that more than 30 lives could have been saved each year across New Zealand if people had worn their safety belts
- Front airbags are designed to protect adults, not children. Keep children restrained in the back.
- Over the last five years in the Waikato, 65 lives may have been saved if restraints had been worn
- From November 2013 the mandatory use of child restraints in vehicles will require all children to be correctly secured in an approved child restraint (booster seat) until at least their seventh birthday
- Safety belts are designed to protect adults not children. For children it is safest to use a child restraint until they are at least 148 cm tall
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO REDUCE THE RISK?
- Wear your safety belt at all times
- Take responsibility and buckle up – whether you are the driver or a passenger ensure your safety belt is on
- Get your child restraint installed by Plunket or an approved installer
- Put children under 148cm in a booster seat, in the back of your vehicle with a diagonal safety belt
- Get your safety belts checked immediately if –
- the buckles are not working properly
- your belt is damaged or faded
- your belt starts to fray