The Lancashire Partnership for Road Safety has teamed up with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service in a new initiative to encourage more children to wear a seat belt on the school run.
The initiative is the result of a ‘shocking’ survey in 2009 in which discovered that every fourth child on the school run does not wear a seatbelt.
The campaign, which will deliver a special lesson to primary schools across North Lancashire, was launched at St Mary’s Catholic School, Morecambe on 22 June.
Kat Whitemoss, The partnership’s senior communications officer, said: “In addition to a quarter of children not wearing a seat belt at all, we have found that 60% of children travelling in car seats are at risk in the event of a crash because the seats are not properly fixed into the cars.
“Explaining the consequences of not wearing a well-fitting seatbelt to the children will help them take more responsibility for their own safety, and will remind parents to make vital checks before each journey – no matter how short.”
Michael Manton, head teacher of the St Mary’s School: “The lesson plan is excellent. It explains very clearly the importance of the seatbelt fitting properly by resting on the hips and breastbone which are robust, unlike the neck or the tummy areas.
“It also encourages us to measure each child and send them home to their parents with a record of exactly what child restraint and seatbelt configuration they should be using to stay safe.”
For further information contact Amanda Anderson on 0845 458 9786.
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