Pembrokeshire County Council and Halfords have got together to provide safety checks for child safety seats. For one week last month over 40 drivers had their child in-car seats checked at the Halfords store in Haverfordwest. The check was part of a national campaign co- ordinated by the Welsh Assembly Government and carried out by councils and local Halford shops throughout Wales. It follows concern that many child car safety seats are incorrectly fitted. Nearly 200 babies and toddlers are killed or seriously injured in car accidents in the UK every year, mostly on local journeys at low speeds. Of the 41 seats checked at Haverfordwest from June 20 to 24, the majority appeared to be well fitted, with only two found to be unsafe. During the week, qualified seat fitters, Becky and Sam from Halfords, which offers free child restraint checks throughout the year, gave advice to drivers. They also gave out Teddy Takes a Tumble books and Teddies provided by Pembrokeshire County Council Road Safety Unit to visiting children. County Clr. Brian Hall, deputy chairman of Road Safety Wales, said it was important that children were safely strapped into their parents' vehicles on all journeys. "Seats must not only be correctly fitted, but also appropriate for a child's weight," he said. For more information, contact John Gobbi, county road safety officer, on 01437 775144.

Katie Lewis, who visited the store with her mother Sue, has her seat checked by Becky Gosling. Also pictured are John Gobbi, Pembrokeshire County Council County road safety officer; Darren Thomas, head of highways and construction; Mark Lane, Halfords manager; and Clr. Brian Hall.
More About: