Chance to get child car seats checked

THE last child car seat check of the year in north Norfolk is at Reepham Fire Station on Saturday morning from 10am to 1pm.Inspections by casualty reduction officers and fire officers have found that in many places well over half child car seats are incorrectly fitted.

THE last child car seat check of the year in north Norfolk is at Reepham Fire Station on Saturday morning from 10am to 1pm.

Inspections by casualty reduction officers and fire officers have found that in many places well over half child car seats are incorrectly fitted. A recent check in Sheringham found 33 incorrectly fitted seats out of 91 checked, although inspectors were pleased with these findings.

Richard Wiseman, casualty reduction officer, said: "This was the best result we have had since we started offering these checks in north Norfolk at the end of August, which is encouraging - but there were still over 30 that were not properly fitted, and that means they don't offer maximum protection to a child in an accident."

'These seats and restraints are life-savers for children, but the have to be properly fitted. Reepham on Saturday morning is the last time this year that the team will be out in north Norfolk."

Checks by Norfolk County Council in 2007 found that 60pc of child seats were fitted incorrectly, contributing to that year's toll of 117 children being injured in car crashes - a rate almost double the national average.