Erin Conner, pictured with her family at the car seat safety checkpoint.
Photo: NZ POLICE/Supplied
A car seat safety campaign has helped a Kiwi mum learn her child’s seat is made for overseas vehicles.
Last week, police worked with its partner agencies to conduct safety checkpoints to look at child restraints in vehicles.
It took place in Waiohiki, Flaxmere and Maraenui.
Of the 850 vehicles that went through the checkpoint, 76 were directed to a ‘car safety clinic’ to fix any issues, while 96 child restraints were checked and 55 full-reinstalls were completed.
Erin Conner received advice during the campaign which helped explain the problems she had been experiencing with her child’s car seat.
A number of agencies took part in the campaign, including police and Baby on the Move.
Photo: NZ POLICE/Supplied
“I found out at this clinic my son’s seat is an Australian brand for Australian vehicles and conditions. They don’t tell you that when you’re buying them.
“You trust shops who sell car seats care about our children – child car seats are expensive and now I am struck with a seat that I struggle to use properly.
“Thanks to the help today, I learnt a lot and now know I need to get a new seat for my baby and my 6-year-old to keep them safe.”
Police worked with Fire and Emergency NZ, Takitimu Māori Wardens, Baby on the Move, Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga, and Te Roopu-A-Iwi Trust during the campaign.
In a statement, police said it focused on education – not punishment – and was all about making sure tamariki were safe in vehicles given they were most vulnerable in a crash.
“The operation had a strong iwi focus,” police said.
“In national traffic statistics, Māori children have mortality rates three times higher than children of other ethnicities and represent 52 percent of all traffic-related deaths between 2007 and 2016.”
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