THE failure to use a seat-belt is a major risk factor for road traffic deaths and injuries among children between the ages of 0 and 14 years.
This according to Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) as the country marks Child Protection Week which runs from 27 May to 3 June.
RTMC is calling all ‘stakeholders and parents to invest in child seats or restraints, municipalities to provide speed calming measures around schools and design safe play areas to reduce the number of children dying on South African roads’.
ALSO READ: Children are precious cargo
‘Child restraint are required by law in South Africa. Children who were not wearing their seat-belts at the time of a collision account for the majority of occupant road traffic fatalities, according to traffic reports analysis.
‘Child restraints are very effective and it has been shown that, if properly installed and used, they can reduce road deaths among infants by 70%, among small children, aged 1–4 years reduce by 54%. ‘And they reduce the chances of sustaining clinically significant injuries by 59% among children aged 4–7 years,’ said RTMC.
The RTMC also supports World Health Organisation’s recommendations that spaces for walking and cycling should be given priority in the design of roads, to improve child safety.
‘The majority of children die as pedestrians because the road network is in many places not designed with children in consideration. A total of 764 child pedestrians died in 2016 compared to 743 in 2017. Furthermore, 428 passengers in the age group (0-14) died in 2016 compared to 334 in 2017.’
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.
For news straight to your phone invite us:
WhatsApp – 072 069 4169
Instagram – zululand_observer
