Our children are the most precious beings in the world and most of us would do anything for them. Keeping them safe from harm should be instinctive and yet all too often the thoughtlessness on the road and in vehicles shows the complete opposite.
The practice of allowing children to stand up in the middle of the back seat with no seatbelt on can be frequently observed. If the driver is required to make an emergency stop, which is a regular occurrence with the many discourteous drivers on our roads, the child could be thrown through the front window. On some occasions I have even witnessed children in the lap of the driver! Surely the dangers are clear. In many other countries children are required by law to use specially designed child safety seats up until the age of 12; with good reason based on extensive safety research. While those types of restraints may not be readily available and accessible here, the message about the necessity of safety measures should be observed and all available measures utilised.
The underuse of seat belts in the back of vehicles is astonishing. Hearing that many vehicles enter the country with rear belts that are taken out or never used is unfathomable. Surely it is common sense that in the event of a collision, the seat belt will secure a person or child, and prevent them from being flung through the air. The alternative is to be greeted by the dashboard, the windshield or the road outside, with obvious consequences.
Common sense aside, the statistics are clear. Correct use dramatically reduces the risk of death by 45 per cent, and the risk of serious injury by 50 per cent. People not wearing a seat belt are 30 times more likely to be ejected from a vehicle during a crash and more than 3 out of 4 people who are ejected during a crash die from their injuries. Who would willingly remove that safety feature or not insist on it being utilised when it is available? When we consider the data, the simple few second act of buckling up should be second nature.
Those of you who take your children to school on a motor bike or a moped, please consider this; you are required by law to wear a helmet because if you were to have an accident and come off your bike it is highly likely that you would sustain a serious head injury, resulting in brain damage or death. It amazes me how many people take the time out to put on a helmet themselves, and then take their precious child and place them on a potential death trap without any protection whatsoever. How often do you see a helmet clad adult with a bare headed child on a bike? Surely there is something seriously wrong with this picture?
The nature of the motorbike is to weave in and out of traffic and the reality is that many risks are taken as drivers undertake and cut between vehicles in an effort to beat the traffic. To do this with an unprotected child in tow is undeniably indefensible; I can only hope it is thoughtlessness and not disregard. There can be no excuses to continue to put a child in your care at such grave risk.
Road safety is taught to our children during social studies at school, but it seems the real lessons need to be re-taught to the adults. Not thinking about the safety of our children is inexcusable. Be aware of the dangers and the safety measures that can be put in place.
Seat belts save thousands of lives each year and increasing use would save thousands more. Belt up yourself and your passengers of any age, every trip. Not because the law requires it, but because of the dangers out there on our roads. Where possible, seat children in the back and ensure you use the seat belts for their intended purpose. Get your child a helmet. Do not dwell on the expense; there can be no price put up against the safety of your child. It is not for style or comfort, it’s for protection, and ignorance of the importance of a helmet will be a poor excuse if the worst happens and an accident results in the unthinkable.
There are too many daily tragedies on our roads and little seems to be changing the hearts of the maniacs out there who use them, so we have to start with making our own travelling situation as safe as we can.
