Derby child seats fail tests

Date: 9/4/2010

A road safety team in Derbyshire has discovered that the majority of child seats being used by travellers in the region are not up to standards.

The Derby and Derbyshire Road Safety Partnership (DDRSP) checked 159 seats over five weeks and found that 80 per cent of them did not pass tests because they were not fitted properly, the BBC reports.

As a result of the research, a handful of motorists were even issued fines for allowing their young children to travel without the necessary restraints to keep them safe.

Mike Ashworth, chairman of the DDRSP, told the news provider: "Seats must be fitted properly to offer maximum protection. It's vital that motorists who travel with youngsters understand the importance of choosing the right seat and fitting it correctly.

He added that not doing so is dangerous and can put children at risk.

TRL has been active in the area of child safety in vehicles for over thirty years, and has its own best practice guide on restraining children in vehicles. Click here to view.

Our researchers within the Child Safety Centre are currently contributing, on behalf of the European Commission, to the work of the United Nations ECE group developing the next Regulation for child car seats.

The CESSAR research institute recently revealed that the number of fatalities and injuries in traffic accidents would decrease by 40 per cent if everyone drove wearing safety belts.