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Home > News > 2006 > September > 07/09/2006 > Article
07/09/2006
Clinical psychologist, Claire Halsey and expert on TV's 'Driving Mum & Dad Mad', has developed a series of fun, easy tips to help parents get older kids back into booster seats.
Claire said: "If your child has been used to wearing a seat belt, but because of the new regulations needs to return to a child seat, parents are challenged finding ways to encourage this without tantrums!"
WORK TOGETHER
Encourage children to check whether they need a booster seat. Learning the facts together should help them from feeling they are being treated like 'babies'.
KEEP BUSY!
Have a selection of books or computer games to play with in the car to entertain and distract them.
PERSONALISE THE SEAT
Let your child choose their booster seat from a selection that meet the new guidelines. By choosing the colour and style and allowing them to decorate it with stickers this will encourage them to feel happy to use their seat and they can enjoy showing it off to friends and family
EXPLAIN SAFETY
Keep it simple and say: "We wear our seat belts in the car to keep us safe." remind them that safety in the car is like wearing a bicycle helmet when they're on their bikes!
RESPONSIBILITY
If there is more than one child in your car, ask the older ones to teach their younger passengers by example. This will make them feel responsible and adult.- PULL OVER IF CHILD UNBUCKLES
Wait until all seatbelts are fastened. Stop every time they unbuckle. Soon children will realise that no seat belts means a slow journey.
Brian Bridges, motor underwriter at Norwich Union said: "As a provider of motor insurance, Norwich Union is aware that many children are injured or killed in road accidents when the appropriate child safety equipement isn't used. Research shows that children as young as 6 are using adult seat belts and this doesn't provide adequate protection.
"These regulations are welcome and Norwich Union supports the Government for taking child car safety issues seriously. We encourage parents to familiarise themselves with the changes from 18th September and accept our recommendations to ensure their children are safe
Current regulations are insufficient and out of date as they only advise that child seats or boosters be used if they are available.
regulations are estimated to save over 2,000 injuries or deaths annually include:
Children up to 3 years old must use correct child restraint in front and rear seats
Child from third birthday up to 1.35m or up to twelfth birthday
Correct child restraint in both the front and rear seats. In the rear, adult seatbelt shall be used if the correct restraint is not available
Children over 135cms or 12 years plus - seat belts must be worn if in both front and rear car seats
Adult (14 years +) - adult seat belts must be worn in all seats.
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