Strap in your child
According to the National Road Traffic Act, children should always wear a seatbelt.
This comes after a resident posted on the Advertiser’s Facebook page, expressing his concern over seeing children jumping around in vehicles.
Supt Wilfred Kgasago, spokesperson for the EMPD, says that it is the obligation of a motorist to ensure that where there is a child restraint (car seat or booster seat) available, in which a child is securely seated in.
“It is recommended that a child is always properly restrained with a car seat until the child can safely be secured with a seatbelt,” he says.
He adds that, however, the regulation deals with seatbelts in respect of age categories.
Road users are broken down into two categories:
* Children are defined as being between the ages of three and 14, except where the person is taller than 1.5m.
* An adult is classified as being 14 and over or taller than 1.5m.
“The act requires that an adult must, at all times, make use of a seatbelt.
“The only exception is where the seats are not fitted with seatbelts, this refers to older vehicles that weren’t manufactured with rear seatbelts,” says Kgasago.
The act further requires that where there is no child restraint available in the vehicle, then the child must be secured in a seatbelt.
“In other words, in the case of an older vehicle with no seatbelts in the back the child must be restrained at the front,” he adds.
Seat-belts and child restraints thus:
* Reduce the risk of contact with the interior of the vehicle or reduce the severity of injuries if this occurs.
* Distribute the forces of a crash over the strongest parts of the human body.
* Prevent the occupant from being ejected from the vehicle in an impact.
* Prevent injury to other occupants.
“One of the most effective measures to protect occupants from injury in the event of an accident is the fitment and use of seat-belts and child restraints.
“Restraints save lives and reduce injury severity, all vehicle occupants should be appropriately restrained when travelling in a motor vehicle,” he says.
