Free child car seat checking service on Wednesday 15 July at Eastleigh Fire Station

29 June 2009

Hampshire County Council, in partnership with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, are providing a free child car seat checking service on Wednesday 15 July at Eastleigh Fire Station on Steele Close, between 10 am and 4pm.

Recent surveys reveal that thousands of parents are risking their children’s lives because they do not know the law about child car seats and more than a third underestimate the age and height at which a child can travel without a car seat.

The surveys by consumer magazine Which? and AA/Populus, add weight to the County Council’s own findings. In 2008, the road safety team checked 371 car seats at similar events throughout the year and found that 88 seats needed re-fitting. Furthermore 156 of those seats were newly purchased but had not been demonstrated at the point of sale and 75 were not compatible with the car in which the seat was being used.

The law states that parents must use an appropriate child car seat when carrying any child up to 135cm (4ft 5in) or until they reach their 12th birthday.

For further information about car seat safety and for details of forthcoming car seat checks in August, September, October please visit our Road Safetly website or call 01962 846100.