Revised Highway Code cares for children

National Road Safety Advisory Council 

The Revised Highway Code recommends that children should not sit in the front seat. It says that Children less than 12 months old must ride in a rear facing car seat fixed at the back seat of the vehicle. Children from age 1 to 7 should sit facing the front of the car in a child’s seat, strapped properly to the back seat.
It warns against carrying your child on your laps as he or she may be crushed between your body and the dash board if there is a crash. It equally says you should not allow children to play with the handle of the doors or locks. Use child lock where available, do not allow children to sit in the luggage area of hatch backs, station wagons or vans, do not leave the hatch back open when a child is sitting in the back seat and do not allow children to stick any part of their body out of the vehicle.

It is against the law to transport children under age 16 at the back of a pick-up van. Children above 7 years of age should sit at the back seat of a vehicle facing the front, but securely restrained with safety belts. Children under the age of 12 years should not sit in the front seat of a vehicle. This rehash is as a result of the pain I go through each time I see supposed parents secure themselves safely in vehicles but deliberately expose their love child to risk. Inappropriate and excessive speed which we worry over is identified as one of the risk factors influencing crash involvement.

The same inappropriate or excessive speed, non use of seat belt/child restraints and crash helmet not properly fitted are identified as risk factors influencing crash severity. In fact, the lack or inappropriate use of seat belt and other safety restraints (child seats and booster seats) are risk factors for fatalities and injuries that result from road crashes. The most frequent and most serious injuries occurring in frontal impacts to occupants unrestrained by seat belts are to the head. In the case of children the survival rate is almost zero which is why child restraints is recommended because it can reduce infant deaths in car crashes by 71 percent and toddler deaths by 54 percent.

I told you of the absence of appropriate structures such as speed breakers and or stop signs. You must stick to the designated speed limit in a school zone as or better still adopt common sense speed limit. Always park and turn legally around schools. Avoid dangerous manoeuvres and always give way to pedestrians particularly when entering and leaving driveways. Drop your children off and pick them up on the school side of the road in your school’s designated drop off and pick up area. It is wrong and risky for children out from across the road as they may run to you without checking for traffic. It is safer for them to get out of the car on the kerb side of the road to avoid moving traffic.

I know of parents who either because of the location of the school, the absence of appropriate parking lots or the absence of personal cars, daily walk their wards to and fro school. It is important for such parents to always walk together to and from school. Like vehicle owners, plan your trip to school and use pedestrian crossings where possible. Always hold your child’s hand. Children need your help to spot dangers such as vehicles coming out of driveways.

Teach your children to always stop, look, and listen every time they cross the road. They should always look

for traffic to their right, left and right again and listen for the sounds of approaching traffic. As simple as this stop, look and listen principles sounds, I have seen uncountable number of parents and guardians who show gross ignorance or neglect for this rules.

You must never allow children to get out of the car on their own .It is recommended that children should remain in the car until an adult opens the door as this promotes and ensure their safety.Meanwhile,you should never leave a child of any age in a vehicle without supervision. A small child may rapidly suffer from dehydration, heat exhaustion and consequent organ failure. Older children could play games that may lead to danger. I told you of the risk of riding to school on a bike without a crash helmet. Helmet wearing is mandatory and as such your child must wear a helmet when riding a bike in any public place.

Your child’s helmet must comply with the standard as provided in the traffic laws and must be securely fitted and fastened on their head. Ensure your child wears a bicycle helmet whenever playing or riding on wheels. The helmet should be firmly buckled so it fits without wobbling or slipping to the sides.