Police Dog Peeler at Car Seat Safety event
Parents, carers, and pupils at Lawley Primary and Teagues Bridge Primary Schools spent time with furry mascot Police Dog Peeler at informative car safety events this week. (Wednesday/Thursday, April 8/9)
The collaborative initiative between Telford & Wrekin Council and West Mercia Police saw the police mascot share information about safe use of car seats due to a rise in incidents of children not being properly secured in moving vehicles or using incorrect car seats for their age or weight.
Councillor Richard Overton, (Lab) Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Highways, Housing & Enforcement said: “This campaign underscores the commitment of Telford & Wrekin Council and West Mercia Police to making local roads safer and protecting young passengers and we are working with the schools as part of a new school journey which is providing road safety education to all pupils and parents to increase active travel and safety.
“This exercise is just a small part of the safety work the road safety teams cover to make Telford a cleaner, greener and safer place to live.”
According to Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents ROSPA a study found that rearward facing child seats reduced the likelihood of injury by 90 per cent compared with being unrestrained. Forward facing seats that help to position the seat belt correctly reduced the risk of injury by 77 per cent for four to 10- year-old-children.
Key Safety Advice:
- Children must use the correct car seat for their height or weight until they are either 135cm tall (4ft 5in) or reach their twelfth birthday.
- By law, children must sit rear-facing in a car seat until 15 months old; it’s advised to continue rear-facing use up to 4 years old for maximum safety.
- Transporting children in the rear seats with an appropriate car seat is safer until they can safely use an adult seat belt. If the front seat is used, the airbag must be deactivated for rear-facing seats.
- Always keep children in their current car seat until they reach the maximum height or weight limit before transitioning to the next stage.
- Ensure the car seat is compatible with the vehicle – 51 per cent of car seats are fitted incorrectly.
- Avoid second-hand car seats due to uncertain history and potential safety compromises, even if damage is not visible.
- Babies and children should not wear thick outer clothing like coats in car seats, as this can prevent the harness from tightening properly, reducing its effectiveness.
- Look for official standard marks like (ECE) R44.04 or R129 on car seats for verified safety.
Operation Coral is a campaign, led by Senior Police Community Support Officer Katy Balaam and is dedicated to raising awareness of child car seat safety. She said: “Throughout April, West Mercia Police is supporting Operation Spotlight.
“This is a national operation to highlight and raise awareness of the work roads policing officers, local policing teams and communities do every day to tackle the issues that most commonly cause collisions on our roads, including not wearing a seatbelt, speeding, distractions and driving under the influence of drink or drugs.
Since 2006, it has been a legal requirement that children must be transported in an appropriate child car seat that is suitable for their weight and height. Children must continue to use these seats until they reach 135cm in height or 12 years old, whichever comes first.