Child safety
Each year in New Zealand, 13,000 children under five years old are hospitalised because of injuries and poisoning. Many of these admissions are avoidable. This safety section has some ideas on keeping your child safe as they grow and develop.
Keep kids safe in cars
Each year in New Zealand many children die or are seriously injured in car crashes when they are not buckled up in a child restraint.
Whakamaua te whiitki - Buckle them in!
Choosing a child restraint for your car can be confusing as there is a lot to choose from.
When buying or hiring a car seat, make sure that it is the right size for your baby and that it fits well in your vehicle. The contour of the vehicle seat, the length of the vehicle safety belt and the shape of the car seat base can mean one seat may fit more securely than another. So it is vital to try your baby, if possible, in the car seat, and try the seat in your car.
• Car seats for new babies need to be rear facing seat, so that baby is looking out the back window. A baby's head is heavy in proportion to the rest of the body and in most crash situations, a rear facing seat will ensure the baby will be pushed back into the car seat, protecting the head and spine
• After around 12 months, baby's body will be much stronger so a front facing seat can be used
• The safest place for any child restraint is on the back seat, out of the way of the airbag in the vehicle dashboard
If you have questions about car seats, contact your local Plunket car seat rental scheme where there will be a Safe2Go technician to answer any questions.
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