Keeping kids buckled up safely Continued from page 7 4. Choose the middle for most safety It may be hard to believe that there is one area of the back seat that is best for your children, but studies have proven that the middle seat is the safest place. If you have more than one car seat, the centre seat and the seat behind the passenger are the best places to install your car seats. 5. Choose the right direction (rear or forward-facing). • Kids who sit in rear-facing car seats have the best protection for the head, neck and spine. It’s especially important for rear-facing children to ride in a back seat, away from the airbag. • Infants (birth to one year): if your child is younger than one year and/or weighs less than 9kg, they should sit in a rear-facing seat with the harness straps at shoulder level. • Toddlers (up to four years): if your child is older than one year and/or weighs 10kg or more, they can sit in forward-facing seats, with the harness straps at their shoulders. • Young children (4-12 years): if your child weighs more than 18kg they can sit in a front-facing booster seat, which must be used with both the lap and shoulder belt securely fastened. Make sure the lap belt fits below and tight across the lap/upper thigh and that the shoulder belt fits snugly across the chest and shoulder. This will help avoid abdominal injuries. • For the best protection, keep your child in a rear-facing car seat for as long as possible – at least until about two-years-old.
You will find the exact height and weight limit on the side or back of your car seat. 6. Avoid using an old or second-hand seat. If you must use a second-hand seat, make sure it has the original instructions (or contact the manufacturer for a replacement copy), has all its parts (check the manual), has never been involved in a serious accident, and hasn’t been recalled. (Sources: www.healthychildren.org; westerncape.gov.za/general-publication)
MISSING, ABDUCTED OR TRAFFICKED CHILDREN THE festive season is a busy time of the year for everyone and with the Covid-19 pandemic, things are likely to be a bit different this year. However, criminals are not on holiday or on leave and so it is vital that parents ensure the safety of their children during this time. According to statistics, children who are reported missing have either run away from home or there has been a misunderstanding with their parents about where they were supposed to be. Of the children and teens who are truly abducted, most are taken by a family member or an acquaintance. Only 25% of children are taken by strangers, and almost all children kidnapped by strangers are taken by men, and about two-thirds of stranger abductions involve female children. Most abducted children are in their teens, and school-going children are rarely abducted from school grounds.
Here are some tips for parents to ensure the safety of their children. • Don’t wait for 24 hours before reporting your child missing. • Know where your child is at all times, who they are with and what they are wearing. • Always keep a recent photo of your child on hand so that the photo will be readily available in case of an emergency. • Make an effort to know your child’s friends, their names, addresses and phone numbers. Be involved in your child’s life. • Teach your children their own names and addresses as well as your name and telephone number.
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