A study into car safety among children in the UK has unveiled some worrying statistics.
Good Egg Safety, an organisation which provides in-car safety advice for families, conducted a survey to find out if kids are using the mandatory booster seats.
According to The Huffington Post, out of the 2,351 children aged 0-11, only 598 of them had a booster seat.
Moreover, 34 per cent of children between the ages of eight and 11 were using an adult seat belt when travelling.
While the statistics are taken from children in the UK, it still highlights a dangerous trend.
According to the Road Safety Authority website, kids in Ireland are only recommended to use an adult seat belt when they reach 36kgs in weight or are over 12 years of age.
Speaking about the findings, chief of Good Egg Safety, Jan James, said: “If older children do not use a booster and are too small for the seat belt, the belt can cause very serious – or even fatal – injuries.”
James added: “Seat belts are designed for adult use and are not suited to a child’s anatomy. A booster lifts a child up high enough that the adult seat belt fits across their hips and chest safely.”
The research also found that more than half of the 93 children aged 2-3 were in the wrong seat for their age/weight/height.
What do you think of these results? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter. You can also check out our piece on Car Seat Safety here.
