{"id":202574,"date":"2019-04-24T07:00:09","date_gmt":"2019-04-24T05:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/?p=202574"},"modified":"2019-04-24T14:47:12","modified_gmt":"2019-04-24T12:47:12","slug":"children-ages-need-kept-safe-cars-says-miwa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2019\/04\/24\/children-ages-need-kept-safe-cars-says-miwa\/","title":{"rendered":"Children of all ages need to be kept safe in our cars, says MIWA"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201c<\/strong>There\u2019s a lot of emphasis on buckling babies and toddlers into car seats, and rightly so,\u201d said Dewald Ranft, chairperson of the Motor Industry Workshop Association (MIWA).<\/p>\n

\u201cBut keeping older children safe in our cars is just as important.\u201d<\/p>

<\/div>\n

MIWA is a proud association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI) who\u2019s priority is road safety.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we need to understand as parents and motorists is that our vehicles are travelling at speed and even if you aren\u2019t involved in an accident, just harsh braking can send a child not strapped in hurtling forward in the car,\u201d said Ranft.<\/p>

<\/div>\n

Too often, he said, older children sit in the back or even the front seat of vehicles without seat belts, are fooling around while the car is in motion, stick their heads or even half their bodies out of the window and more.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere have been countless incidents where accidents have taken place and children are thrown through windscreens or out of side windows.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis can obviously result in severe head trauma and death,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He added that often this kind of behaviour is deemed as fun, but the reality is that any moving vehicle is a risk.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

\u201cChildren sitting in the back of a bakkie is another big no-no.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven with the canopy on, if that bakkie rolls the children will be thrown around in the back of the bakkie and can be severely injured.<\/p>\n

\u201cGone are the days when putting your children in the back of a bakkie was fine.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe travel at far faster speeds now on our roads because our vehicles are designed to do so.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis even applies to smaller roads. Don\u2019t be fooled. Speed kills,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Speaking to and educating older children on the risks of being in a car is very important.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are old enough to understand so make it a rule in your car that everyone is strapped in and sitting in the right seats before you go anywhere,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He reiterated that it is essential when travelling with young children to ensure that car seats are properly secured.<\/p>\n

Statistics show that up to 70 per cent of car seats are incorrectly installed.<\/p>\n

Parents must also ensure that the seat is the age-appropriate size.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember that children, especially toddlers, get fidgety when sitting still for long stretches.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you are doing a long trip factor in regular stops to give everyone a chance to stretch their legs.<\/p>\n

\u201cTry to pick pit-stops with fun activities for children such as jungle gyms.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis gives children a chance to work off some energy without distracting mom or dad while they drive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

If you need advice on car seats or car safety make sure you speak your local MIWA workshop.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want our roads to be a safe place for our children.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are willing to help. Let\u2019s all do our part to keep our children safe,\u201d said Ranft.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (News Editor)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>or\u00a0Kgotsofalang Mashilo (journalist)\u00a0kgotsofalangm@caxton.co.za<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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