§ Lord Braine of Wheatleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their estimate of the number of children who regularly ride unrestrained in:
- (a) the front seat; and
- (b) the rear seat of motor vehicles, and how this compares to the practice in 1987.
§ Baroness HaymanIn October 1988 the then Transport and Road Research Laboratory, on behalf of the Department of Transport, began a series of six-monthly surveys on the use by car occupants of seat belts and other restraint systems. These surveys continue to be carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory.
In April 1997, the latest published survey, 6 per cent. of children aged 0-13 who were travelling in the front seat of motor vehicles were estimated not to be wearing seat belts or other restraint systems compared with 9 per cent. in October 1988.
28WAIn April 1997, 24 per cent. of children aged 0–13 who were travelling in the rear seats of motor vehicles were estimated not to be wearing seat belts or other restraint systems compared with 47 per cent. in October 1988.
These surveys do not provide evidence of the frequency with which a particular child travels without a seat belt or other restraint systems.
§ Lord Braine of Wheatleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What advice they give to those wishing to carry a child aged two in the rear seat of a motor vehicle in the absence of a car seat or booster cushion.
§ Baroness HaymanThe Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions leafletSeat Belts and Child Restraints provides the following advice to those wishing to carry a child aged two in the rear seat of a motor vehicle in the absence of a car seat or booster cushion:
"If no child restraint is available for children under three years of age, it is generally safer for them to wear an adult belt alone, in the back seat, rather than no restraint at all".
The leaflet also provides advice about the law, selecting the right child restraint and advice on wearing for pregnant women.
Copies of the leaflet are being placed in the Library of the House.
The advice is also provided in the 1996 version of the Department of Transport publication Choosing Safety, published by the Stationery Office, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.
§ Lord Braine of Wheatleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will provide guidance on the dangers of rear seat passengers placing a belt around both themselves and a child.
§ Baroness HaymanThe Government already provide guidance on the dangers of rear seat passengers placing a seat belt around both themselves and a child. The section on safety belts and child restraints in the 1996 version of the Department of Transport publicationChoosing Safety, published by the Stationery Office, advises:
"Never put a child inside the safety belt which you are wearing. In a crash you would crush the child against the safety belt. At 30 mph, if you are of average weight, you would exert a force equivalent to the weight of an elephant on your child's body. Your child could he seriously injured or crushed to death."
A copy of Choosing Safety is in the Library of the House.