There are some grim statistics surrounding infant and child deaths on South Africa’s roads, with vehicle accidents being the single biggest killer of healthy children, according to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital.
Road crashes account for 80% of severe brain injuries in children, and 96% of these could have been prevented if the child was buckled up, the African Brain Child Initiative reports.
Paramedics often tell shocking stories about grim accident scenes that they’ve come across where children have died including how the force of the crash propelled them towards the front of the vehicle.
The importance of strapping a child into a car seat that is appropriate for his or her age and size is not only important, it’s critical, given the sheer number of accidents on our roads.
Unfortunately, many South African families don’t have the means to invest in a child seat, but there is a charitable organisation called Wheel Well, which makes a concerted effort to distribute donated child seats to those in need.
The organisation has so far distributed almost 12,000 car seats to families in need, and regularly urges those parents with seats no longer in use to donate them.
Wheel Well not only redistributes these donated car seats, but also ensures that they meet rigorous safety standards, and the seats are refurbished if need be.
Old Mutual Insure (OMI) recently donated 500 car seats to families through the new #IsiphoSami “My Gift” road safety campaign, initiated in partnership with Philip Hull of the SA Road Safety Foundation. It urges all South Africans to pledge to drive safely for the sake of their loved ones.
Wheel Well founder Peggie Mars said affordability remains a major barrier, with 70% of parents surveyed saying they struggled to afford these life-saving devices. However, education is also a key challenge.
“Eight out of ten car seats we inspect are either incorrectly adjusted, installed improperly, or not suitable for the child’s stage of development. Through this partnership, we can reach more parents and ensure their children travel safely,” Mars said.
Click here for more information on how to donate.
IOL