Following a previous testing event in June, Caerphilly council’s Trading Standards Department is offering parents and carers in the area another chance to have their child car seats tested as part of a safety drive to identify unsuitable or poorly fitted equipment.
Experts will be on hand to offer help and advice on choosing and securing the correct equipment for both the child and the vehicle. A free information pack offering advice to parents, and related activities for children will be given for each test carried out.
During the event in June, 53% of seats checked were found to be incorrect, rendering the seats potentially dangerous in some instances.
The main problems identified included: –
- Seats that were incompatible with the make and model of car, meaning they were unable to be fitted securely
- Seats that were unsuitable for the size and weight of the child
- Loose fitting of seats in vehicles, often permitting excess movement Twisting of straps of the child harness, which in the event of a crash could result in severe lacerations to the child
- Incorrect fitting of the seat into the car to such an extent that the child would be offered little or no protection in the event of a collision
- Failure to meet current safety standards in the case of very old seats
The next event will take place on Friday 13th August 2010 – Tesco Store, Ystrad Mynach, from 9:30am to 4:00pm.
Trading Standards and Licensing Manager, Jacqui Morgan said, “This event is an excellent way of alerting local people about the lack of protection provided by badly fitted seats. I would urge parents to attend the session to ensure their children are safe and help prevent injuries resulting from accidents in the future.”
For further information, please contact our Trading Standards Department on 01495 235291.
