Parents and carers are being encouraged to find out more about child car seat safety as part of the national Good Egg campaign.
The campaign is designed to ensure that babies and children are properly restrained whilst travelling in the car, by showing parents and carers the correct way to fit in-car child safety seats. The Good Egg is also an accreditation scheme for retailers to provide the best information on fitting and buying a child car seat.
The campaign includes an information guide and car clinics for parents and carers where an expert checks the fit of a restraint. Two free car seat clinics in September are being organised by the Council.
- Wednesday 26th September 2012; Tesco 10am-3pm Midsomer Norton, Old Mills, Paulton, Bristol BS39 7SW.
- Thursday 27th September 2012; Sainsbury’s Odd Down, Frome Road, Odd Down, Bath, BA2 5RF.
Last year 127 checks took place during the two Council clinics and 42% had some sort of fault.
Councillor Roger Symonds (Lib-Dem, Combe Down), Cabinet Member for Transport said, “It is crucial for parents and carers to check and double check their child’s car seat. It could save a young person’s life. Bath & North East Somerset Council is very supportive of this national campaign and we are backing it through practical action, like distributing the guides to the parents of very young children and car clinics.”
The Council and NHS Bath & North East Somerset distribute three Parent Packs at different stages of a child’s development. ‘New Parent Information’ is delivered to parents by the Health Visiting Team and the Good Egg guide is circulated at the first check.
Alan Kennedy, Chair of Road Safety GB who organise the campaign, commenting on the Good Egg Guide said, “This booklet is an excellent guide and highlights areas where we could all improve on in-car child safety; it offers good sound practical advice about buying, choosing and fitting a car seat. It is a must for all parents, grandparents and great grandparents.”
Fiona Capener, Road Safety Officer at the Council, said, “A look of surprise on the face of a parent when they realise their child safety seat is incorrectly fitted or incompatible with their vehicle is better than a look of horror if their young son or daughter is killed in an accident.”
Find out more about the Good Egg Guide by going to http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/goodegg
