HOW CAR SEATS PROTECT YOUR CHILD

Peggie Mars / 06/11/2024

HOW CAR SEATS PROTECT YOUR CHILD

When it comes to road safety for children, car seats are one of the most effective ways to protect your child on the road.

We have spoken at length about the importance of using a carseat, but we often get asked how car seats protect children in the event of a crash. Car seats can reduce the chance of death in a car crash for an infant by 71% – car seats save lives! In understanding the relationship between car seat design, the developmental stages of a child and the dynamics of car crashes, we hope to drive home how imperative a car seat is to protecting your young child.

HOW CAR SEATS WORK

Cars are typically designed around the size and weight of adult bodies. For this reason, the safety mechanisms that are part of a car’s design are not as effective for a child.

Firstly, a child has a far smaller overall size than an adult, therefore a safety system like a seatbelt for an adult would not adequately secure a child.

A child’s body is also still in the process of developing. Joints and bones are more fragile. Parts of their skulls are not yet fused, leaving the brain vulnerable. Similar is true of the hip and pelvis which is made up of 6 bones in an infant or young child, which eventually grow together to form two structurally stronger bones in an adult. A child’s head-to-body ratio is much larger than that of an adult, which means in a crash, they are more likely to be thrown head first with the momentum of the impact.

The design of a car seat takes the vulnerabilities of a developing child into consideration. The three main safety concerns that a car seat aims to solve are: impact absorption, force distribution, physical protection.

In a crash, not only does your car seat secure your child in place so that they are not flung from where they are sitting, either into other passengers, objects or from the car altogether, but a car seat is designed to safely cradle your child through the momentum. A car seat should minimise the force of a crash to vulnerable areas of your child’s body, such as the skull, spine and pelvis.

A car seat harness will also distribute the force more safely, unlike an adult seatbelt which when used for a child, will concentrate the force to under-developed parts of the body, damaging soft joints and unprotected organs, such as the pelvis or abdomen.

The protective shell structure and padding of a car seat also helps to cushion the impact, while not allowing a child’s body to move around in the chair.

In order for a car seat to be effective, it must also be appropriate to your child’s developmental stage. Car seats use a weight-and-age range to ensure that it safely caters to your child as an infant, toddler or young child.

TYPES OF CAR SEATS AND WHEN TO USE THEM

Children should use car seats up until they are tall enough to safely make use of a seatbelt – at least 115cm tall, usually around 6 years old. However, until then from infancy, their bodies are developing and changing regularly and 3 different types of car seats are used as your child grows.

Transitions between different car seat groups are determined by their age and weight. The transitional period is represented as a range. It is advisable to keep your child in their current car seat as long as possible until they reach the upper limit of their age-weight range. Moving them too early may be premature for their needs at their current developmental stage.

You can find our Weight for Age charts here:

Infant Seats (up to 13kg or 15 months):

Infant seats are designed for babies who are not yet able to sit and support their bodies by themselves. Designed with a flatter angle, they cradle an infant, supporting their back and spine. Infant seats must be rear-faced as this allows the backrest of the infant seat to provide support in the event of front or side impact in a crash. If the seat were front-facing, the momentum of a crash would propel an infant forwards. This momentum would put immense force on their very fragile under-developed neck, spine and skull, which if not fatal, could result in life-long injuries.

Toddler Seats (from 6 months, 9kg or 70cm tall):

Once your child is able to sit up by themselves, a toddler seat provides support in a more upright position, allowing them to better see the world around them. Toddler seats are also able to recline to allow support while your child sleeps. Toddler seats can be rear- or front-facing, however toddler seats must remain rear-facing until your child is at least 15 months old.

When buying a toddler seat, ensure that it has a 5-point harness. Although your toddler is developing and their joints are stronger than that of an infant, a 5-point harness will allow for impact force of a crash to be distributed more evenly to the strongest points of their body. A 5-point harness will also keep them in a safe and secure position.

Booster Seats (from 4 years old, 95cm or a minimum of 15kg):

As we mentioned above, seat belts are typically designed around the size of an adult. Booster seats solve this problem for children by raising them up and positioning them correctly to safely make use of a 3-point seat belt.

A 3-point seat belt must be able to cross their lap and the middle of their shoulder. If a child is too small for this positioning of the belt, the result is that it will cross their stomach or will be too close to their neck. If they are unable to use the upper-body part of the belt, this also indicates that they are too small. A 3-point seat belt must anchor your child across the strongest parts of their body. In a crash, an incorrectly positioned seat belt can cause severe and potentially fatal injuries to the abdomen, neck and spine.

ESSENTIAL CAR SEAT SAFETY

Car seats for children save lives. However it should be reiterated that for a car seat to be effective, it must be the right type of car seat for your child’s developmental stage. An incorrect car seat would not only prove less capable of protecting your child in a car crash, but could cause a higher chance of injury or death.

The same is true of incorrectly installed car seats. When installing a car seat, ensure that you follow the manual closely so that your child is safely secured as intended. Double-check all anchor points and belts before placing your child in their car seat.

Car seats must be maintained and kept clean. Not only does a dirty car seat surround your child with potentially harmful germs, but grime and crumbs can affect the functionality of the mechanisms. Old and secondhand car seats should be inspected by a professional before being used to ensure they are in working condition.

Car seats, especially rear-facing car seats, should not be installed in the passenger seat if an airbag is active. An airbag deploys with immense force which can cause severe injuries. If deployed into a rear-facing car seat, it will propel your child face first into the backrest of the passenger seat, leading to a high risk of fatal injuries. Car seats are safest installed on the backseat of a car.

In South Africa, children up until the age of 3 years old must use a car seat by law. Despite this, understanding how car seats are designed to protect the vulnerabilities of a growing child, we would always recommend using a car seat up until at least 6 years old.

If you need help with choosing your next car seat, installation or maintenance, please get in contact with Wheel Well.

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CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY MONTH _ REFLECTING ON THE PAST YEAR

Peggie Mars / 07/10/2024

CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY MONTH: REFLECTING ON THE PAST YEAR

CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY MONTH: REFLECTING ON THE PAST YEAR

Child Passenger Safety Month is once again upon us and is an important time to raise awareness about the safety of children on the road.

As we know, road-related incidents are the number one killer of children worldwide, disproportionately impacting low- to middle-income countries more heavily. In order to enact change, ourselves and other organisations need to amplify the voices of our communities to rally for change in regulations, practices and education, to minimise the number of children who die in preventable road incidents.

A big issue we have examined this year has been around school transport safety. We also collaborated with African Brain Child who do valuable research into Traumatic Brain Injuries and the impact that they have on children. As always, we have also campaigned endlessly for proper car seat usage and provided many families with car seats for their young passengers. In this article, we would like to reflect on these topics, how they have helped and where there is space for change and growth.

A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF RISKS TO CHILD ROAD USERS

Children are our most vulnerable road users, whether they are passengers or pedestrians. Without proper safety in place, millions of children die on our roads from incidents that could have been prevented.

An impactful way to keep your child safe in a car is to make use of a car seat or other forms of age-appropriate child restraint systems. Earlier this year, we wrote an article about the myths regarding safe car seat usage. It is imperative that all children are restrained in a vehicle with a car seat that is suitable for their age-weight range. It is equally important that car seats are both maintained and correctly installed, so that it can protect your child in the way it was designed to. This can greatly reduce the chance of injury or fatality in the event of a crash. And always, always “be quick to click” and buckle up your passengers, young and old. Car crashes also account for the highest portion of Traumatic Brain Injuries in children. TBIs, if not fatal, can leave children with lifelong physical and mental challenges, drastically changing the course of their lives.

Many children in South Africa rely on public transport to get to and from school. However, a great number of children are left having to walk to school. This exposes children to many risks, one of which is pedestrian safety. Our small pedestrians are less visible to vehicles and unattended by adults, are less capable of being safe around roads.

Unregulated public transport remains a huge problem in South Africa where many children are killed in crashes getting to and from school. WIthout dedicated and regulated school transport, there is little standardisation when it comes to safe drivers, roadworthy vehicles and the safe and correct loading of children into vehicles.

SCHOOL TRANSPORT SAFETY MUST BE CHANGED

This year we have spoken about the dire need for better regulations for school transport. Unfortunately, shortly after our last article on the topic, more school children were injured or killed on our roads in several separate incidents, a few weeks apart.

One crash bore an eerie similarity to the Blackheath train incident that we covered in our article. A train struck a school bus in Middelburg after the allegedly drunk driver failed to stop at a crossing. Six children were killed, while 19 more were hospitalised. Much like the Blackheath train incident, “human error” was cited as the reason for this crash. How much “human error” can we prevent with better regulations? With professional drivers who are specifically certified to carry children? Or with the safety of students being a priority. According to an article by The Citizen, Thulasizwe Thomo, MEC of Public Works, Roads & Transport at the funeral of the deceased children “urged school bus drivers not to get behind the wheel when they are tired or under the influence.” This comment should fill us all with rage and frustration. It is not enough to “urge” drivers to manage themselves, when there exists a systemic problem in our school transport regulations for which children are paying the price.

On the same day as the memorial service for the learners who died in the school bus-train crash, seven school children who were walking home from school were struck by a vehicle. Thankfully the children survived, however they all sustained injuries.

In another incident, a bakkie, a truck and a school bus crashed on account of unsafe overtaking of vehicles. This serves as another aspect of school transport that must be changed – stricter regulations that dictate how other road users should safely navigate school buses on our roads.

Under similar circumstances, in Carltonville, a Ford Ranger rear-ended a minibus taxi causing it to roll and catch fire, killing 11 children and the driver, “burnt beyond recognition”.

Wheel Well founder, Peggie Mars was invited to comment on the Carltonville crash on Newzroom Afrika.

Mars: not enough done to ensure scholar transport safety

Hopefully, under the GNU we will see school transport subsidised and better regulated to ensure the safety of learners. Until change is made, we will continue to spread awareness and campaign for safer roads.

AFRICAN BRAIN CHILD AND WHEEL WELL COLLABORATION

In August, we collaborated with African Brain Child with a shared passion in reducing the cases of Traumatic Brain Injuries in children. Together we put out the call to our audiences for car seat donations to distribute to families who otherwise may not be able to afford them. You can read more about TBIs and African Brain Child’s work in our August article here.

We are happy to announce that we have secured a 100 car seat donation for our Cape Town event. If you family is in need of a car seat, or have one to donate, we are doing a handout with African Brain Child on 26th October at Supa Quick Constantia.

If you have an old car seat gathering dust, consider donating it at your nearest Supa Quick store and Wheel Well will have it cleaned up and fixed for a child who will become safer on our roads.

HALO BEANIES

In response to the previously mentioned road incident where a vehicle collided with seven children in Mpumulanga, we arranged for the donation of our Halo Beanies to the school to which the pupils belonged. Halo Beanies are beanies that are knitted with a high-visibility reflective strip that helps make children more visible to vehicles.

See facebook post here:

The Halo Beanies project is only possible through the help and support of our community – whether through the donation of Beanie Packs containing materials, or through volunteer knitters. If this is a project you would like to get involved in, get in contact with us.

THE FUTURE OF CHILD ROAD SAFETY IN SOUTH AFRICA

To end on a positive note, we are happy to hear that the RTMC (Road Traffic Management Corporation) will be launching Project EDWARD (Every Day Without A Road Death) in South Africa. This was originally an award-winning UK-based campaign that aimed to reduce the number of deaths on the road. They promote an evidence-led safe system approach which minimises the risk of death and fatality on account of traffic.

The 5 key components:

Safe Roads – Safety-conscious road planning, design and engineering
Safe Vehicles – Promoting vehicles with collision avoidance & injury mitigation systems
Safe Speeds – Managing speeds to crash survival levels
Safe Road Users – Deterring dangerous behaviour and ensuring compliance: education & enforcement
Post-Crash Response – Fast and efficient emergency medical help, diagnosis and care

RTMC will also be working closely with road safety NPOs to facilitate Project EDWARD, allowing us to have a voice in the changes made.

The safety of children on our roads is a continuous battle for change. In honour of Child Passenger Safety Month, we urge you to get involved either through donations, support or awareness. At the very least, buckle up your kids and keep them safe.

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CLICK FOR ROAD SAFETY: TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES

Peggie Mars / 26/08/2024

CLICK FOR ROAD SAFETY: TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES IN CHILDREN

Every year, an estimated 60 million children worldwide suffer from Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) due to car crashes and lack of road safety.

Car crashes are tragically recognised as the leading cause of death among children globally. But the devastating impact extends beyond fatalities. Many children who survive these crashes are left with lifelong brain injuries that can alter the course of their lives.

In response to this critical issue, Wheel Well has partnered with African Brain Child. ABC is a research initiative dedicated to reducing the risk of TBIs in children. Together, we are working to bring attention to this often-overlooked aspect of road safety. We need to find solutions that can protect our most vulnerable passengers.

THE AFRICAN BRAIN CHILD INITIATIVE

African Brain Child is an initiative dedicated to helping children with brain injuries reclaim their lives. Based within the Pediatric Neurosurgery Unit at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital and the Neuroscience Institute at the University of Cape Town, this program offers specialised care and cutting-edge research to support young patients on their journey to recovery.

African Brain Child also looks at brain health within the South African context. This is incredibly important when considering that road accidents are the highest contributor to traumatic brain injuries in children. While this is true on a global scale, 90% of road-related deaths occur in low- to middle-income countries. Children in South Africa are eight times more likely to die on the road compared to children in the UK. Comparatively, it is ten times more likely than children in Switzerland.

Besides the life-changing work and research they do to help children living with TBIs, they also campaign for awareness. With regards to road-related incidents, they aim to ensure the safety of kids and prevent TBIs. Their “Be Quick To Click” campaign focuses on motivating seatbelt use. Using a seatbelt can drastically lower the chances of TBIs and death in a car crash.

Be Quick To Click Campaign: Video

WHAT IS A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY?

A traumatic brain injury is an injury to the brain caused by violent force or a sudden jolt, resulting in the brain bouncing against the skull or even twisting. This can damage the brain tissue or blood vessels that are vital to the functioning of a healthy brain.

Children are particularly vulnerable to sustaining TBIs on account of their still-developing bodies. Toddlers and infants are especially at risk, as the skull and spine are very fragile and are less capable of protecting brain injuries.

As the brain is still developing in children, a TBI can hinder their development and thus increase the severity of disability and long-term damage.

LIFE WITH A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

A TBI can utterly change a child’s life and determine their future. We often ask children what they want to be when they grow up. A firefighter, an astronaut, a famous ballet dancer – we ask them about their dreams for their bright and happy future ahead. But a single moment can rob them of their right to see these dreams become a reality.

Survivors of serious TBIs may be left with a physical disability, emotional or cognitive difficulties, behavioural disorders or learning difficulties.

A 2015 interview by Dotsure with the Melck family, discusses the life-changing impact a car crash had on their daughter Nicole, who sustained a TBI in a car crash. Looking back, Nicole says she had been an “active, full of energy child”. She used to love riding bikes, skateboarding and riding horses. She had dreams to one day become a veterinarian and was an A-team swimmer.

When driving home at night, a car pulled out in front of them. Nicole’s father had to swerve into oncoming traffic which led to a head-on collision.

In the crash, Nicole, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time, was flung forward into the car seat in front of her. The impact her body was thrown with had enough force to break the seat in front of her, shattering her dreams for the future in the process.

Nicole states the heartbreaking reality of living with a disability on account of a TBI,

“A simple thing like tying your shoelace, buttoning up your belt or your pants – that has been taken away from me. I wake up every morning and say ‘If I had just buckled up’”

Nicole Melck – I should’ve buckled up: Video

CAUSES OF TBIs IN CAR CRASHES

The Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital alone sees 2000 children (under the age of 12) with head injuries every year. Of these children, 80% suffer serious head injuries as a result of road accidents. Like Nicole Melck, a staggering 96% of them were not wearing a seatbelt when the car crash occurred. With the use of a seatbelt, death and injury to children in a car crash is preventable.

African Brain Child, through its research, determines that seatbelt use is the most effective and accessible way to save the lives of South African children on the road.

Because a child is small in size and weight, in a car crash, their body becomes a projectile. They also have a larger head-to-body ratio which means that in the momentum of a crash, they are usually flung head-first with incredible force.

The long-term effects of a TBI range from:

Physical disability which may result in the use of a wheelchair or a person being bed-bound
Lifelong care for daily tasks such as eating, dressing and bathing
A child may not be able to go to school because of learning or physical disabilities, or else may require a special needs school
Their ability to socialise may be affected
In the future, they may not be able to work and will rely on the support of others

In low-income countries, many families may not have the resources to properly support and care for a child with severe disabilities. This puts a lot of pressure on already struggling families and minimising the quality of life for the survivor.

PREVENTING TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES IN A CRASH

The use of a child restraint system can reduce the deaths of children on our roads by 60%. ABC’s “Be Quick To Click” campaign aims to create awareness for ensuring that children are buckled up when in a vehicle. Not only does this save lives, but minimises the chance of an injury that can change the course of a child’s entire life.

“Be Quick To Click” – the “click” referring to the sound of a seatbelt being secured into place – offers a catchy phrase parents can teach their children as a reminder to buckle up. It’s never too early to teach road safety rules to your child which could mean the difference between life and death.

According to South African regulations, a child up to 3 years old must be secured in a car seat. A child up to age 14 must use a child restraint system or seatbelt. But keeping our children safely restrained starts with us. Adults must always use a seatbelt in a vehicle. Statistics have shown that adults who don’t buckle up are less likely to ensure that their child passengers are also safely restrained.

Wheel Well’s Car Seats for Kids campaign also helps families overcome the financial barrier to car seat safety. We donate used car seats to families to ensure the safety of their children. Wheel Well also offers resources on the Printables page for finding the correct child restraint system for your child’s age and weight range which is also important for their safety.

No one ever plans to get into a car crash – do all you can now to avoid having heartbreaking regret in the future. Fastening a seatbelt only takes 5 seconds, be quick to click and keep your child’s life and dreams of the future safe.

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THE HIGH IMPACT OF SPEED IN CAR CRASHES

Peggie Mars / 01/08/2024

THE HIGH IMPACT OF SPEED IN CAR CRASHES

THE HIGH IMPACT OF SPEED IN CAR CRASHES
“Speed kills”, as the many Arrive Alive signs along the highway remind us. And yet many drivers still do, often justifying their reasons for doing so. Yet the impact speed can have in car crashes is huge.
Many people think that speeding will help them reach their destination faster. However, the time saved is often minimal compared to the safety risks involved. While drivers are responsible for their actions, we also need to think about how roads are designed, city planning decisions, and the rules about speeding.
In this article, we will be referring to the “Guide for Safe Roads” study released by the World Bank Group. They have proposed a Roads-For-Life framework that prioritises the safety of the most vulnerable road users.

DO FAST SPEEDS MEAN FASTER TRAVEL TIME?
There are many reasons why people speed – none of them justified. People think that driving faster will allow them to reach their destination sooner. This may only be true in specific scenarios, but in reality, speeding will likely only delay your travel time.
By increasing speed by “just” 1 km/h, the risk for injury is increased by 3%, while risk of death rises to 4-5%. And 1 km/h seems like an amount that sounds almost trivial. As speed increases, the chance of a crash exponentially rises. When a crash happens in traffic, it causes congestion, which slows down traffic and increases travel time for everyone.
Another aspect to consider is that roads are designed with the number of vehicles and the speed of the road in mind. By exceeding the speed limit determined for that part of the road will result in a bottleneck in traffic. During peak times this brings the flow of traffic to a glacial crawl. Sometimes completely halting it altogether.
Speeding also makes roads a more hostile environment for pedestrians and cyclists. As they are more vulnerable road users, it puts them at greater risk of injury or death. The result is a heavier reliance on vehicles as a mode of transport, adding more vehicles to the flow of traffic.
Speeding is selfishly motivated, while road safety actions are for the good of the community. By rushing to get to work on time, drivers are ignoring the greater good. This impacts all users on the road and contributes to slowing everyone down, often including themselves. Better self-planning goes a long way to ensuring the safety of everyone and ourselves.

HOW SPEED INFLUENCES THE OUTCOME OF A CAR CRASH
When we see someone speeding down the highway in a sports car, we often shake our heads at their irresponsible behaviour. But, when we get a speeding ticket for going just 5 km/h over the limit, we might feel frustrated and think it’s unfair. But any amount of speeding can have serious consequences.
The faster we drive, the less time we have to understand what’s happening around us. This reduces our ability to make good decisions and react safely, especially when time is short. As speed increases, our field of vision narrows, making it hard to see anything but the road right in front of us. A good driver knows that being aware of everything around the car is crucial for safety, and this awareness decreases as we speed up.
At higher speeds, the distance needed to stop a vehicle increases. For example, a car travelling at 30 km/h requires only 14 metres to stop, while at 65 km/h, it needs 44 metres. This means that drivers going faster have less time and space to react and avoid a collision.
The speed of a vehicle greatly affects the risk of injury or death when it hits a pedestrian. For instance, if a car hits a pedestrian at 30 km/h, there’s a 13% chance of serious injury or death. But, if the car is going 60 km/h, that chance jumps to 73%.
For passengers in a vehicle, the force of a collision is much greater at higher speeds, which greatly reduces their chance of survival.
Modern technology in cars can make drivers feel safer and more in control. Yet, this can create a false sense of security, leading some to believe that speeding is now safer. In reality, technology doesn’t prevent human error or improve our judgement in a crash. While drivers might feel more secure, it doesn’t reduce the higher risk of collisions for pedestrians and other road users caused by speeding.

ROADS-FOR-LIFE FRAMEWORK
When setting speed limits, decision-makers usually focus on the needs of motor vehicles. These decisions often aim to improve traffic flow and efficiency for vehicles. This often means that the safety of other road users, like pedestrians and cyclists, becomes a lower priority.
Speed limits are also often based around the “85th percentile” method. This bases speed limits on a desired speed that 85% of motorists will observe. However, the “desired speed” of an individual driver is often subjective. It does not take into account all the benefits of driving at a lower speed. This means that even speeds that most people consider appropriate, are higher than what could be considered objectively safe.
The Roads-For-Life framework proposes that to minimise the impact of speeding and make the roads safer for everyone, we must prioritise the safety of everyone using the road. Especially the most vulnerable road users such as the elderly, children and women.
To determine the survivable impact speed of a road it considers the following factors:
● The characteristics of a road, including the surrounding activities and the use of the road
● The space required for users in specific cases such as around schools, hospitals or high pedestrian areas
● The type of road users and traffic
● Infrastructure quality and design

SAFE SPEED LIMITS FOR DIFFERENT ROAD TYPES
The Road-For-Life framework categorises road sections into 4 main types.
● Shared Roads: These are roads used by both vehicles and pedestrians, such as those in housing complexes, school properties, retirement villages, and gated communities. Because these roads have many vulnerable users, like pedestrians, their safety should be a top priority. The maximum safe speed limit for shared roads should be 10 km/h.
● Urban Human Activity Roads/City Hubs: These are roads in cities and towns where people live, work, and socialise. They have a high number of pedestrians moving around, such as roads near schools, residential neighbourhoods, transport hubs like bus stations, and areas with shops, markets, bars, and cafes. The suggested safe speed limit for these areas is 30 km/h. If higher speeds are needed, there should be separate paths for pedestrians and cyclists to ensure their safety.
● Urban Main Roads: roads that connect cities and towns to the greater transport network. These support the higher demand for moving goods and people. The suggested safe speed for these roads is 30-50 km/h. The higher speed of 50 km/h is only recommended if there are good pavements and fewer pedestrian crossings, ensuring that vulnerable road users are kept separate from traffic.
● Urban Link Roads: This includes roads such as highways which connect different districts and are primarily for the movement of goods and people. These roads feature no pedestrians and cyclists. They also alleviate the need for traffic to move through other road types where there are a higher number of vulnerable road users. The safe maximum speed for Urban Link roads should be set to 60-70 km/h. If pedestrians and cyclists are explicitly prohibited from using a section of this road type, the maximum speed could be increased to 80 km/h.

ROADS DESIGNED WITH SAFETY AS A PRIORITY
In addition to the Roads-For-Life framework, other studies such as Cities Safer by Design and WHO’s Sustainable Cities (a study we have previously referenced) also suggest that road safety should be a key part of road design.
Cities Safer By Design recommends the following design elements:
● Urban design that includes smaller block sizes, frequent street connections, narrower streets, and access to destinations in compact urban environments that alleviate the need for vehicle travel;
● Traffic calming measures such as speed humps, chicanes, curb extensions, raised pedestrian crossings and other elements;
● Arterials and intersections that reduce conflicts between road users by providing clear crossings, medians and refuge islands;
● Pedestrian facilities ranging from pedestrian-only areas to basic, consistent sidewalks;
● Bicycling networks that feature protected bicycle lanes and special attention to design at intersections; and
● Safety improvements around mass transport stations and corridors.

While all these proposed changes would be nice in a perfect world, it could take years, possibly decades, for them to become the standard, especially in low- to middle-income countries. Until then, we can only hope that personal responsibility and legislation improves to protect the lives of all road users.

THE COST OF SPEEDING
As mentioned, speeding is usually a self-motivated choice that affects more than just the driver. The costs of speeding are significant and cannot be ignored.
There is a sentiment that lowering the speed of traffic could hurt the economy. But, in 2023 it was reported that car crashes have cost South Africa R1-trillion in the past 7 years. Since speeding is a major cause of crashes, reducing speeding could actually benefit the economy by reducing the number of accidents.
On a more personal level, the cost to the individual is also increased by speeding. Driving at higher speeds increases fuel consumption as well as the need for more frequent maintenance and replacement of tyres.
In the event of a crash, insurance companies may reject a claim if they feel that reasonable precaution while driving was not observed. If you have received multiple fines for speeding, the rejection of a claim for a crash may become more likely if your driving record indicates a pattern of reckless behaviour.
Along with increased fuel consumption comes the ecological and health costs as well. Driving at high speeds increases CO2 emissions from vehicles. Also, roads designed mainly for vehicles can be less friendly to other road users. This often leads to more vehicles on the road, which in turn increases CO2 emissions.
Lower speeds and safer roads lead to cleaner air, healthier lifestyles by encouraging walking and cycling, and more vibrant, liveable communities.
Besides these benefits, the greatest cost of speeding is the loss of lives. Road-related incidents are a major cause of death among young people and children, with speeding being a significant factor.
Speeding has a huge impact on road safety and the costs associated with it are high. It is important that we change our attitudes about speeding as well as building road safety into the world around us. The lives of the most vulnerable people in our communities depend on it.

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Award Winning Stories on Surviving School Transport.

Peggie Mars / 23/07/2024

Award Winning Stories on Surviving School Transport

lsu Elihle Awards Winner 2018 awarded by Media Monitoring Africa to Jamaine Krige who did a series of stories on surviving school transport.

“To give an idea of how powerful these things are. In the first episode we hear the stories of eight young people and their dreams of what they would like to become. It emerges as the story goes on that these are the numbers of children that die on our roads every single day. Its talking about school transport,” adds William Bird, Media Monitoring Africa.

LISTEN BELOW TO KRIGE’s SERIES:

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IS SCHOOL TRANSPORT KILLING OUR CHILDREN?

Peggie Mars / 24/06/2024

IS SCHOOL TRANSPORT KILLING OUR CHILDREN?

Youth Month is an appropriate time to reflect on the way South Africa works to keep its children safe. History should always teach us to do better, especially regarding our children. When it comes to education, many barriers exist for many children in South Africa. Unfortunately, safety and school transport are among them.

To ensure the safety of child passengers, Wheel Well is focused on road safety for children. But, the regulations surrounding school transport in South Africa are unclear. This makes it challenging to guarantee the safety of school children. We need to discuss these regulations and address the existing gaps.

CHILD SAFETY ON SOUTH AFRICAN ROADS

According to Child Gauge 2019, a publication released by the University of Cape Town, South Africa has a high rate of child injury deaths. In high-income countries, the global annual child-injury mortality rate is 8.6 per 100,00. By comparison, in South Africa, the rate is 38.9 per 100,000 for children 19 years and younger. Of these, 36% are the result of road traffic injuries. That means that it is the leading cause of child mortality in South Africa. Children aged 6-12 years are particularly vulnerable on our roads, as passengers and pedestrians.

The publication found that 68% of South African learners walk to school and that one in five pedestrian deaths are children under the age of 15 years.

THE BLACKHEATH TRAIN CRASH

An historical tragedy that should be a call for change, occurred in 2010 when the Blackheath train incident shook the nation. A minibus carrying school children cut in front of other vehicles and drove in front of a train. Ten children were killed in this horrific crash which scarred the community. The driver was found guilty of 10 counts of murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison. However, his sentence was reduced to 8 years. While the driver may have been held accountable to some extent, this was a preventable tragedy. The lives of ten families and their communities remain irreparably changed.

A proposed bridge was planned to improve the safety of this crossing following the deaths of these children. Unfortunately, the bridge failed to materialise. In 2018, another crash involving a bakkie driving in front of a train killed 5 people. Two crashes at the same crossing show an attitude of apathy when it comes to changes for road safety.

In tragedies like these, the reason of “human error” falls flat, however, if we view the circumstances that allow for this excuse to surface, the question arises “How do we prevent this?”.

REGULATION 231

Before we look at the factors that would improve the safety of school children on our roads, we need to talk about Regulation 231 of the National Traffic Act, 1996. It states:

Manner in which children to be counted for purposes of regulations

1) For the purposes of establishing the number of persons that may in terms of these regulations,

other than regulation 263, be carried on any vehicle, other than a motorcycle, motor tricycle,

motor quadricycle or pedal cycle –

a) any child under the age of three years shall not be counted;
b) two children of three years or over but under the age of six years shall be counted as one

person; and

c) three children of six years or over but under the age of 13 years shall be counted as two persons:

Provided that in applying the provisions of this regulation, fractions shall be disregarded.

When loading a vehicle, the total mass of passengers is considered. This logic determines that because children are smaller than adults, 2-3 children (depending on age group) makeup one adult when counting the allowed number of passengers for that vehicle.

Child safety becomes a concern when following this logic. Counting many children as single people ignores the fact that most vehicles do not safely cater for this. For example, this means that there are not enough restraints in a vehicle to cater to every child.

Overloaded vehicles already pose a huge safety risk for all its occupants. This issue is compounded when children are not counted as a single person but rather several. Cape Talk spoke to the father of a 7-year-old boy, Liyabonga Mbaba, who had died by decapitation in a crash involving an overloaded taxi. The harrowing interview can be heard here, although we would like to add a trigger warning for the graphic description of the crash.

THE NEED FOR SAFE SCHOOL TRANSPORT

There is a great need for safe and reliable school transport for children in South Africa. With the majority of children having to walk to school, they are already vulnerable to many risks. A great number also rely on public transport to receive their education. Without standardised and enforced school transport regulations, children who rely on these services are at the highest risk of injury and death.

The Department of Transportation has attempted to address this problem in their National Learner Transport 2015, which was revised in March 2023. Yet, while this policy addresses some of the challenges of school transport, there is not enough being done. Underfunding is one of their stated reasons for this.

As a nation, this should be a priority for ourselves as taxpayers. We are stakeholders in the future of our children, especially regarding their education and safety. Children should not have to risk dying to receive their education.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED

Several factors need to be improved. Firstly, Regulation 231 needs to be updated to count every child in a vehicle, regardless of age, as one person. This would aid in catering to the safety requirements of every person in a vehicle.

Every school district should have a subsidised school transport program that caters to the safety of children. This is especially necessary for schools that have a high number of children who walk to school.

Vehicles utilised should have child safety in mind. In the United States of America, the yellow school bus is a widely recognised vehicle, even throughout the rest of the world. Transporting 26 million children each year, school buses are the largest mode of public transport in the US. With their high visibility, large size, lower centre of gravity and strong rules for navigating the roads around them, fatal crashes involving school buses are incredibly rare. We know it may be unrealistic to compare the experiences of high- and low-income countries. However, this shows that the use of vehicles designed to carry children can reduce the risk of child fatalities. We also need clearer regulations on what determines a vehicle fit for carrying school children.

When we send our children to school, we entrust their safety to other adults. Any person tasked with transporting children must have specific permits and training to do so. Training should centre around the care of children. First-aid certification should also be mandatory. Drivers should also be vetted to ensure that they have no prior record of harm against children.

Safe school transport can play a huge role in ensuring that fewer children die from preventable road fatalities. However, those with the power to enact changes that would save children from the largest cause of death in our country, do not seem rushed to do so. Especially considering the severity of this problem. Having a standardised and enforced national school transport policy will help in the assignment of roles and accountability for school transport. It will also set safety standards to which all parties must comply with.

Parents can also appeal to their school governing board, headmaster and local metro police. These different entities must work together to ensure learners’ safety to and from school.

For child pedestrians, schools can organise a Walking Bus program. This involves community volunteers walking children in a group to and from school. This helps to ensure they are safe and more visible to road users.

Let’s put the pressure on the Departments of Education and Transport, as well as our schools so that history does not keep repeating itself with more preventable deaths of our kids.

IS SCHOOL TRANSPORT KILLING OUR CHILDREN? Read More »

HALO BEANIES: A VISIBILITY CAMPAIGN FOR CHILD PEDESTRIANS

Peggie Mars / 04/04/2024

HALO BEANIES: A VISIBILITY CAMPAIGN FOR CHILD PEDESTRIANS

Have you heard about our Halo Beanies campaign aimed at child pedestrian safety?

In 2020, 1765 child pedestrians lost their lives on our roads. For Wheel Well, this was a call to action to try and keep our young pedestrians safe. From this, our Halo Beanie project was born. We named them Halo Beanies due to the strip of high visibility reflective yarn stitched around the beanie. This helps make children more visible to drivers on the road.

Halo Beanies is a visibility campaign for child pedestrians because “children should be seen, not hurt”.

CHILD PEDESTRIANS AT RISK

South Africa has a large population of low-income families, while many struggle against a high and growing unemployment rate. The barrier to entry to school is already high for children from these families. For many, reliable and safe transport is a “luxury” many cannot afford. This leaves many young pupils having to walk to school – for some, a journey that can take as long as two hours or more! An article from the Associated Press highlights the harrowing dangers children face daily while taking the long walk to school. Rural and poorer regions experience these dangers more frequently where little to no services exist to help families.

In addition to the socio-economic factors at play, child pedestrians are also vulnerable for other reasons. By their nature, children tend to be unpredictable. They have a less developed sense of awareness for the world around them. Children are also less capable of making correct judgements on the speed and distance of oncoming vehicles.

Another aspect to consider is that compared to the size of a vehicle, a child is very small. Younger children are shorter than the height of the front of a vehicle or the windows, which means that they are far less visible to drivers. This problem is further exacerbated by low light or adverse weather conditions. Along with their lack of awareness and unpredictable behaviour, a driver may not notice a child, putting them at huge risk of getting run over by a car.

A 2020 technical guide released by UNICEF on Child & Adolescent Road Safety states that “increasing the visibility of children using the road is demonstrated to be promising in reducing pedestrian injuries”.

Our Halo Beanies make child pedestrians more visible to drivers so that they can navigate around them more safely.

HOW DOES OUR HALO BEANIE CAMPAIGN WORK?

The Halo Beanie campaign relies on our community to take part in this project. Not only do sponsorships fund this campaign but we also need knitters and crocheters to donate their time and skills.

Sponsorship and funding allow us to create “Beanie Packs”. Each pack contains reflective yarn, wool in various colours, crochet hooks, knitting needles, patterns, instructions, and leaflets on the benefits of reflective gear. We then distribute these to Rotary Clubs and knitting clubs around the country. From each beanie pack, clubs can create at least 100 beanies. Once complete, beanies are then handed out at schools to children at no cost to them.

Wheel Well oversees the logistics of distributing the materials to various clubs, listening to their feedback and ensuring the beanies make their way onto the heads of those who need them most.

We opted to create beanies for this project as they are cost-effective and less likely to be taken off by children while playing. They are also easily stored in a school bag without taking up space. Additionally, kids enjoy the bright colours. Beanies also keep them a little warmer in the winter months when the days are shorter with longer periods of darkness and low visibility, giving kids extra motivation to wear them.

HELP US BRIGHTEN A CHILD’S LIFE!

This year kicked off with some fantastic donations from Suzuki, Dooya and The Rotary Satellite Club of Sandton. They have collectively sponsored 2000 beanies in the form of Beanie Packs. A huge thank you to them for investing in the safety of our child pedestrians!

If you or your business would like to sponsor a Beanie Pack, get in touch with us. Each beanie pack (100 beanies) with all materials requires a sponsorship of R2700. For companies, consider allocating your annual Corporate Social Investment (CSI) spend towards this project to help us make a difference – more information on that here.

Wheel Well is also in need of knitters and crocheters to help create our Halo Beanies. If you belong to a knitting or crafting group, please consider donating your time and make this your group’s next project. On average, a beanie takes about 2 hours to knit – likely faster if you are a master of your knitting needles.

Winter is drawing near and so many children would enjoy the warmth and safety of a Halo Beanie! Our beanie packs contain everything you need to create 100 beanies with no extra materials required.

Child safety is a community effort and never more true than in our Halo Beanie campaign. It takes a village to raise a child (and keep them safe), so we hope you will join our “village” of road safety for children. Help us make child pedestrians safer on our dangerous roads and remove one of the many barriers children face in getting an education in South Africa.

For more information on this campaign and to get involved, please don’t hesitate to contact Wheel Well.

HALO BEANIES: A VISIBILITY CAMPAIGN FOR CHILD PEDESTRIANS Read More »

CHILD CAR SEAT SAFETY MYTHS: A REALITY CHECK

Peggie Mars / 15/02/2024

CHILD CAR SEAT SAFETY MYTHS: A REALITY CHECK

Have you ever noticed how much misinformation there is when looking for advice on car seats?

In the “internet age”, we have more access to information than at any other point in history. Computers and smartphones have made knowledge accessible to us. And it’s right at our fingertips. But fast access to information also brings a lot of misinformation.

Today “doing your research” seems to mean watching the first video you find on social media. There is a problem where many peoples’ idea of “research” is finding information that agrees with their ideas. Even if it doesn’t hold any merit.

Some social media influencers spread wrong information to large audiences. Social media groups can become echo chambers of misinformation. Repetition reinforces misinformation in a closed group. Eventually, it becomes regarded as truth by its members. Some writers create content for clicks and money, rather than educational value.

When it comes to the safety of our children, it has become necessary to take information with a pinch of salt. Not to mention, a whole heap of critical thinking.

THE FIGHT FOR TRUE INFORMATION

Parents who want to become informed about car seat safety will find a ton of contradicting information. It is hard to find unbiased, straightforward information. People manipulate the facts to make parents think that one car seat is better than another. Or what’s worse – some also do it to feel superior as parents.

We wanted to reference a fantastic study about different child restraint systems. Unfortunately, we were unable to cite it for this article. The researchers had to embargo the study because the public misunderstood the findings. Misrepresentation of the facts has led to the loss of public access to this valuable study.
It is also very common for articles to claim “studies have shown” without actually linking any studies. This immediately calls into question the validity of their claims.

We are an NPO with over 12 years of experience and knowledge in the car seat safety field. Even with our knowledge, it was difficult to find reliable sources for this article. The challenge faced by parents hoping to make the safest choices for their children must be unimaginable.
When giving our points here, we are drawing from unbiased sources. Where information is inconclusive, we will draw conclusions based on our years of working with road safety for children. We will also consider some points within the context of accessibility and constraints of South Africa as a developing country.

DO CAR SEATS EXPIRE?

This is a debated topic. But the validity of whether car seats expire has a complicated answer. It is not comparable to, say, the expiration of organic material such as food items, for example. There are steps one can take to extend the life of their car seat, but it is worth knowing what could cause your car seat to age faster.

US manufacturers of car seats often refer to the “expiration date” of car seats, a term that may be misunderstood by the general public.
European and South African standards refer to a “recommended lifespan”. Part of this is that after a certain period, manufacturers will no longer be liable for the safety of their seats. They are also motivated to sell you their latest seat.

Materials used in car seats will deteriorate over time. This includes foam inners, metal and fabric. The rate of deterioration depends on factors like sun exposure, crash history, storage conditions, usage, and improper use.

Manufacturers recommend that car seats be used for 5-10 years. This time frame may vary depending on the brand, so check your manual. If you’re not sure if your older car seat is safe, have a car seat professional check it for you. They can tell you if it’s still safe to use.

IS IT SAFE TO USE A SECOND-HAND CAR SEAT?

Leading in from the previous point: should you use a second-hand car seat? Car seats are expensive and not all families are in the position to buy a brand new seat for their child. Also, remember that you will need to buy several car seats as your child grows.

New car seats are always safer. But, this doesn’t mean that second-hand car seats are unsafe. Families with lower incomes can buy used car seats to keep their kids safe. Especially if they feel the only other choice is to have no car seat – which is not safe at all.

When buying a second-hand car seat, it is important to know how old it is and whether it has been in a crash. Check the plastic, fabric covers and harnesses for damage or wear. When buying a second-hand car seat, make sure that it still has its manual.

Wheel Well knows that families have different financial limits. We provide second-hand car seats that are clean and safe for use before going to their new family. We also host car seat hand-out events where we provide second-hand car seats for any donation a family can afford. Our priority is to give as many children as we can a safer journey. If you are looking for a second-hand car seat or have one to donate to another family, get in touch with us!

IS IT SAFER TO REAR-FACE YOUR CAR SEAT BEYOND 15 MONTHS OF AGE?

The topic of rear-facing car seats seems to be a divisive discussion online, with MANY strong opinions behind it. But what are the facts?

First, a rear-facing car seat is a must up until the age of 15 months. The reason for this has to do with the development of infant bodies and how they move with the momentum of a crash. Infants and toddlers have much larger heads compared to their bodies than older children and adults. Their heads can account for up to 20% of their total body weight. In a frontal impact collision, the weight and size of their head can throw them forward with great force. Their necks are not as strong as adults’ to withstand this force with little or no support. In a forward-facing seat, this creates immense force on the neck and spine. A rear-facing car seat spreads impact across the body instead of concentrating it on weaker body parts.

But are rear-facing car seats the safer option after 15 months when a child’s body reaches its next developmental stage? Often referenced in this debate is the “Swedish Accident Report”. This study looked at accident reports about child restraint systems and injuries to different parts of the body. The goal of the study was to gather data to improve child restraint systems and how they are used. We have often seen it used as a source to state that one restraint system is better than another. This is often referenced without some important context.
The study observes that child restraint systems in general hugely reduce the chance of injury or fatality in a crash. It also found that misuse or incorrect installation of restraints contributed to a higher risk of injuries.
Data suggests that there is a higher risk of injury to children when they are moved to the next car seat for their developmental stage. This is due to parents using the lower bound requirements for that stage of car seat. We, and many others, do caution parents not to rush when moving their child to their next stage of car seat. It is advisable to keep them in their current car seat as long as possible until they outgrow it.

The Swedish Accident Report suggests that extended rear-facing seats may slightly reduce injury in a crash. But, it provides little information about the car seats used in these crashes. To offer a different source on the topic, we refer to the “National Best Practice Guideline – Safety for Children in Motor Vehicles”. Developed by KidSafe & Neuroscience Research Australia, on extended rear-facing restraints, it states:

“There is currently no evidence to support a recommendation to either encourage or discourage the use of these restraints compared to properly used forward facing child restraints who have outgrown a Type A2 rear facing restraint” (Type A2 is an infant seat in Australia)

What is our take on this topic? We often see parents pressured into using extended rear-facing car seats. A black-and-white impression is given that extended rear-facing is so much safer that by comparison, forward-facing car seats are unsafe. This is simply not the reality. If any difference exists, it is likely marginal at best. There just is not enough conclusive evidence on the matter.

An important thing to consider is that rear-facing car seats are far more expensive. They also need much more space in a car to safely install them. The average family in South Africa cannot meet these two factors. We have a high percentage of low- to middle-income families. This creates a lot of pressure on families to buy a car seat that is much more expensive than necessary. Especially considering it might not even provide significant extra safety. We always maintain that the safest car seat is the best one you can afford.
The most expensive option is not, by default, the safest. No parents should feel as if they are jeopardising the safety of their child by not providing the most pricey car seat. Especially not when other options do exist.

ARE 5-POINT HARNESSES SAFER FOR OLDER CHILDREN?

There is a debate about whether a 5-point harness in a forward-facing seat is safer than a 3-point seat belt on a booster seat for children over 18kg. Again, this one has a non-conclusive answer – both have their positive and negative points.

● A 5-point harness could be safer, but it is much harder to correctly install and thus carries a high risk if misused.
● A 3-point seatbelt is easy to install. Yet, a restless child may not stay in the correct position.
● 5-point harnesses have a weight and height limit, whereas 3-point seatbelts do not – the latter may be preferable if you have a child who is tall for their age.
● 5-point harnesses can hold a child more securely in place. Yet, in a front impact crash, this can create immense force on their necks when their heads are flung forward. A 3-point seat belt lets the spine, neck, and head move together, reducing the risk of whiplash or worse.

The best advice from us? Whether you use extended harnessing or a seatbelt and booster seat, make sure that it is used correctly and caters to your child’s needs. The same is true for any child restraint system. Incorrect use is more dangerous in crashes than the type of harness system or seat you choose to use.

SHOULD YOU WASH YOUR CAR SEAT COVER & HARNESS?

Cars tend to carry a lot of bacteria. A study partnered with Aston University (UK) found that there can be twice as much bacteria, including E. coli, in cars compared to a toilet seat.

Some people believe that car seats should not be deep cleaned. There is a worry that it could make a car seat less fire-resistant. Some feel that washing causes straps and harnesses to stretch and no longer keep a child secure.

On fire retardant (which is only regulated for infant seats), washing could impair this. But it is worth noting that cars and their engines are now made in a way that reduces the risk of fire. In a fire, the fire retardant in your car seat will do little to stop your child or their car seat from being burned.

Car seat harnesses are made from synthetic materials, usually nylon. Washing will not affect them or cause them to stretch.

Car seat manuals do include washing instructions. Whether your car seat is best cleaned by hand or is safe for machine washing will be in the manual. For detergent, we use Triple Orange to clean our second-hand seats before they go to their new families. It is a product able to clean the cover, body, harness straps and buckle of a car seat. It works as a degreaser, and is antibacterial, while also being non-toxic and environmentally friendly.

A bigger concern when washing a car seat is if parents can reassemble it correctly. Incorrect car seat assembly does pose a great risk to your child in a crash. We have seen this occur on many occasions. We recommend parents take videos or photos of their car seat as they remove parts for washing. This will allow you to have a reference to work with when putting it back together. Should you have any uncertainty, bring your car seat to our showroom. We will show you how to put everything back as it should be.

Aspects of car seat safety can be a dividing topic. Even some of these answers are not conclusive one way or the other. New studies are published every year. They help us learn more about car crashes and how to better survive them. Parents should follow safety regulations and stick to safe-use guidelines set by manufacturers. It is important to also be mindful of road safety practices. When it comes to online information about the safety of kids, always check several sources. Be willing to learn, but always be critical too.

If you would like to talk to us about anything discussed in this article or need car seat advice, never hesitate to reach out to us.

CHILD CAR SEAT SAFETY MYTHS: A REALITY CHECK Read More »

BACK TO SCHOOL 2024: ROAD SAFETY FOR OUR CHILDREN

Peggie Mars / 10/01/2024

BACK TO SCHOOL 2024: ROAD SAFETY FOR OUR CHILDREN

As the holidays draw to a close, our children are heading back to school. Whether you have young or older children, it is a time of excitement, trepidation, enthusiasm and, for some, despair at the end of the long holidays – feelings often shared by parents too. One hope for our children we all have as they start the school year is that they will be safe.

Alongside ABCs & 123s, teaching your children road safety is as important. It is important that we, as adults, uphold road safety standards to make the road safe for all users, especially our children.

DRIVING SAFELY AROUND SCHOOL ZONES

Areas around schools will often become congested during drop-off and pick-up times. If you are not dropping children off at school, consider changing your route to minimise the impact on traffic.
If you are dropping off children, or your commute takes you through a school zone during peak times, here are some things to keep in mind:

● Do not drive more than 30km/h. Even if there is no signage indicating the speed limit, 30km/h should be your default speed when driving in a school zone. Children have impulsive and unpredictable behaviour. They may not have developed a good sense of road awareness. Slowing your driving allows you time to react should a child step in front of your vehicle.

● Do not use your mobile phone or play loud music while passing a school. Keep distractions few and awareness high.

● Children, especially the younger ones, are not easily visible due to their height. Primary school children are sometimes no taller than the bonnet of a car and thus are at risk of drivers not seeing them. Always take extra care to note the areas around your car when driving in a school zone. Be on the lookout for children walking or cycling to school, as well as crossing the road.

● If you encounter a crossing guard (aka “lollipop man/woman”) or scholar patrol, obey their signals and stop to let children cross the road. Be patient and avoid becoming frustrated. Hooting your vehicle may startle children which may cause them to step into traffic.

● During the first week of school, remember many young children are starting “Big School”. Parents might take longer to say goodbye to their children, who may be anxious and doubtful. Have patience with them – this is a big step into the next stage of life for many children (and their parents).

SAFETY FOR CHILDREN GETTING TO SCHOOL BY CAR

If you are dropping your kids off at school yourself, it is a good opportunity to reinforce some important road safety rules.

● Always buckle up! This is rule number one. This rule applies to the driver as well as the child passengers. Children learn by example. It is our role as parents and caregivers to be a good example for them. Make use of seatbelts, car seats and harnesses on every journey, no matter how short or familiar the route.

● Car seats are mandatory up until the age of 3. Beyond this, car seats are the safest option for your child in a vehicle up until your child reaches age 10. Seat belts are designed around adult bodies and sizes, therefore a car seat is that much better at restraining a child. Your child’s car seat must be suitable for their age, height, weight and developmental stage. You can find more information on which is the right car seat for your child here.

● A factor you may have to contend with is your child becoming embarrassed about using a car seat. Unfortunately, we have little control over the safety standards set by other parents. Starting school leads to some children wanting to set themselves apart from “babies” and prove they are “big” now. This results in the rejection of anything that they perceive as being “for babies”. There may be teasing of children who are still making use of those things – car seats included.
We have spoken in the past about how to engage your child in learning how to be safe in a vehicle and on the road, including why it is important to use a car seat. If they are beginning to feel a sense of shame associated with their car seat, a better approach for older children is to teach them that “big kids make responsible choices”. This will give them a sense of empowerment in that they are not using a car seat because they are a “little kid”, but because it is the responsible and safe thing to do. And big kids do responsible things, even if they don’t like it and even if their friends do otherwise.

● Carpooling is a good way to lessen congested traffic in school zones. It is important to discuss with all parents involved the safety standards to maintain in their vehicles. Everyone should be on the same page. Each child should at the very least have access to a seat belt. A Secure-A-Kid Safety Harness is a worthwhile investment, as it is easy to use, attaches to most seat belts and is easily packed away in a school bag. This makes it an excellent choice for carpool groups.

● Always have your children climb out of the car on the pavement side of your vehicle. If this is not possible, always look for oncoming vehicles before opening the car door and assist them with getting to the pavement. Have them go quickly and directly to the schoolyard away from the drop-off zone.

● Plan where they should wait at the pick-up zone after school that is away from traffic.

SCHOOL BUS & MINIBUS SAFETY

Public transport has its pitfalls when it comes to road safety, leaving a lot of room for improvement. For many families, it is the only viable option available. There are a few things families can do to improve the safety of the experience for their children:

● It is best to try and make use of a transport company that only carries students or is hired by the school. These companies are more likely to have the safety of children in mind. If this is not an option for your child, have an adult travel with them or else watch that they make use of a bus or minibus that is safe for their journey.

● Never leave children alone at a bus stop. An adult must wait with them until they board.

● Children should not wander away from the bus stop. Not only do they risk missing their transport, but they might find themselves in dangerous situations.

● Teach your children that they should always stand 3 metres away from a bus until instructed to board. Buses have many blind spots and can also obstruct the view of children for other drivers on the road. Due to the height of a bus, a driver is also unable to see directly in front or behind the bus – never stand in these areas!

● Children must remain seated for the duration of their journey. They should only leave their seats to disembark when the driver says it is safe to do so.

WALKING & CYCLING TO SCHOOL

If you live close to your child’s school, cycling or walking may be an option for them. It can be a great source of exercise and outside enrichment as part of their day. Be informed about the safety of this option in your area before considering this option.

● Children who are walking or cycling must wear high-visibility clothing. Drivers may not see child pedestrians and cyclists, especially in low-light conditions. High-visibility reflective clothing – a vest or beanie, for example – will make them more noticeable. This allows drivers to safely navigate and anticipate their movements.

● Cyclists must wear helmets at all times during their journey. This is a requirement by law but also reduces the risk of death and serious injury. A cycling helmet must be the appropriate size. Straps should be secure and snug, not allowing the helmet to shift.

● Children walking to school should stay on the pavement away from traffic – never walk on the road. Cyclists should stay as close to the pavement as possible and make use of a cycling lane if one is available.

● If other children in your neighbourhood also walk or cycle to school, arrange with their parents for them to journey together. Children are safer in a group than walking or cycling alone.

● It is very important to teach child pedestrians and cyclists how to cross roads. They must look right and left before crossing and never cross on a blind corner where they cannot see an oncoming vehicle. Show them where they can make use of pedestrian crossings on their route.

● Stress to your child that they must walk or cycle directly to and from school without any detours. Have them be home by a certain time so that you can be sure that they are safe.

● For cyclists, find out where the school’s designated bike racks are. Teach them how to use a bike lock to keep their bicycle from being stolen.

GENERAL SAFETY TIPS

● Have children carry “In Case of Emergency” details on them, especially if taking public transport/walking/cycling. Do not put their name in these details which can be used by strangers and traffickers to lure them away from safety.

● Teach your children not to talk to strangers or get into unfamiliar cars.

● Talk to your children about road safety rules and reinforce them. Consistent repetition is key!

● Don’t let children wear headphones/use cellphones while travelling to/from school. These can be a distraction that can cause them to step in front of vehicles or wander off from a safe area.

● Organise with the school or PTA to have a Parent or Student Patrol around the school during peak times to help children cross the roads.

Let’s keep our learners safe this year, starting with road safety. Wheel Well provides school talks on road safety for students at primary school and high school levels. If you would be interested in having us visit your child’s school, speak to the school’s organising committee or get in touch with us. The safety of all children on our roads is our #1 goal!

BACK TO SCHOOL 2024: ROAD SAFETY FOR OUR CHILDREN Read More »

The Perils of Driving with Your Baby on Your Lap: A Risky Choice.

Peggie Mars / 02/01/2024

The Perils of Driving with Your Baby on Your Lap: A Risky Choice.

The bond between a parent and their child is undeniably strong, and it’s natural for parents to want to keep their little ones close. However, when it comes to driving, the safety of both the parent and the child should always be the top priority. Unfortunately, some parents still choose to drive with their baby on their lap, unaware of the significant dangers associated with this practice. In this blog, we will explore the risks and consequences of driving with a baby on your lap and emphasize the importance of proper child restraint systems.

Lack of Restraint:

One of the most apparent dangers of driving with a baby on your lap is the absence of any form of restraint. In the event of a sudden stop or a collision, an unrestrained child becomes a projectile within the vehicle, putting them at an extremely high risk of injury. Even at low speeds, the force generated during a crash can lead to severe consequences for both the adult and the child.

Airbag Risks:

Modern vehicles are equipped with airbags designed to provide additional protection in the event of a crash. However, these safety features can become deadly when a child is seated on an adult’s lap. Airbags deploy with tremendous force, and their impact can cause serious injuries, especially to infants and small children. Placing a child on your lap puts them directly in the path of the deploying airbag, increasing the likelihood of severe harm.

Collision Forces:

In a collision, the forces exerted on an unrestrained child are immense. The weight that the child takes on is equal to their weight multiplied by the speed before impact. For example, if a child weighs 10 kgs and you were traveling at 60 km/h, the child takes on the weight of 600 kgs during the collision. It’s crucial to understand that there’s no way to hold onto them securely during such a forceful impact.

Legal Consequences:

Apart from the obvious safety risks, driving with a baby on your lap may also have legal repercussions. In South Africa it is law that all children under 3 are restrained in a suitable car seat, and that children between 3 and 12 years must be restrained in a suitable car seat if one is available otherwise, they must be restrained on the back seat. Driving without securing your child in an appropriate restraint system can result in fines.

The dangers of driving with a baby on your lap are clear and should never be underestimated. The potential for serious injuries and even fatalities is far too great to ignore. It is crucial for parents to prioritize the safety of their children by using appropriate child restraint systems, such as rear-facing car seats, forward facing car seats, booster seats, and seat belts, depending on the child’s age and size.

Ultimately, the responsibility of ensuring a child’s safety while driving falls on the shoulders of every parent or guardian. By understanding and acknowledging the risks associated with driving with a baby on your lap, we can collectively work towards creating a safer environment for our youngest passengers and fostering a culture of responsible parenting on the road.

The Perils of Driving with Your Baby on Your Lap: A Risky Choice. Read More »