Road Traffic Safety Department addresses the child car seat issue again on the New Year's Eve

31 October 2012

On the New Year's Eve the Road Traffic Safety Department at the Ministry of Interior of the Russian Federation in partnership with the Russian Association of Motor Insurers (RAMI) and the “Road Safety Russia” public organization will wage again the large-scale “Child Seat to Children” social campaign. The objective of the event is to convince parents that special car seats or other child restraints should be used for child transportation.

«The similar social campaign was staged last year practically at the same time and brought good results, - noted Vladimir Shevchenko, colonel of police, the deputy chief of legal regulation and propagation division at the Traffic Safety Department at the Ministry of Interior. – This year we decided to remind adults once more about the rules of child transportation in cars, to tell about the effectiveness of child car seats and safety belts relying on the data of testing. I think that hereupon many parents looking for New Year gifts will choose in favour of a child car seat. You should admit that there is no point of talking about toys if the child safety is not provided properly».

According to the statistics, for nine months of 2012 the total number of road crashes involving children and adolescents in Russia has increased by 5.4 %. In 16295 road accidents 749 children were killed and more than half (400 children) were car-passengers. 17219 children sustained injuries and 7650 of them were car-passengers.

«The number of road casualties among child-passengers declined by 3.1 % as compared to the same period last year. It’s a positive result but the problem of child transportation still requires scrupulous attention of official authorities and the society», - said Mr. Shevchenko.

Within the framework of the campaign The interactive children's performances telling about the advantages of using child car seats will be staged in the shopping malls in 10 regions. Young passengers will be presented with educational materials and thematic prizes to fix the gained knowledge. The first action will take place inNovosibirskon 2 November 2012.

The “Toys prompt” video clip, audio reels and an outdoor social advertising will also remind parents to use a child car seat.

During the campaign special attention will be given to the work with the employees of maternity homes and other healthcare institutions. In fact even on the very first trip from a maternity home a newborn should be transported in an infant bucket seat. So educational materials and commemorative gifts will be handed out to young mothers and fathers at maternity hospitals.

«We constantly monitor the situation of child transportation in cars and public transport and we also carry out thematic studies together with the All-Russian Center for Public Opinion Research, - said Natalia Agre, president of the “Road Safety Russia” NGO. – And the last facts are really disappointing: the number of the car owners who don’t have any type of child restraints or who don’t plan to buy a child seat has significantly increased - from 39 % up to 70 % countrywide. It means that the majority of parents have no clear understanding that their kids can be lost or become disabled in a car crash. And if a child is in a car seat the risk of getting severe injuries will be less almost in 3 times».

«In recent years the problem of safe child transportation has grown to a scale of a national disaster. Recognizing the complexity of the problem and the necessity of urgent measures the RAMI along with the Road Traffic Safety Department and the “Road Safety Russia” NGO addresses again the issue of road traffic injuries prevention and downsizing the rate of road crashes involving children through the “Child Seat to Children” social campaign».

According to the World Health Organization, the use of child restraints reduces the death rate among child-passengers by 54 % and the risk of injuries - by 70 %. Each parent should realize that the use of a child car seat is not simply an obligation but a real way to protect his child in case of an accident. “The child car seat is an assurance which can save the life of your child one day», - noted Paul Bunin, president of the Russian Association of Motor Insurers.

In accordance with the Road Traffic Regulations the use of special restraints for transporting children under 12 has been mandatory since 2007. The penalty for non-use of child restraints pursuant to the Code of Administrative Offences of the Russian Federation is a fixed fine of 500 roubles.

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