Taupo to break safety belt record

MEDIA RELEASE

23 October 2009

On Wednesday 28 October at 8.30am Taupo Primary School in association with Taupo District Council will host “NZ’s Biggest Buckle Up”, a record breaking safety belt attempt. 

The promotion is part of Taupo District Council’s wider safety belt campaign; a campaign that has one simple message: “Always wear your safety belt”.

The attention on schools will be to promote new research from Safekids New Zealand around the correct use of child restraints, specifically booster seats.  

Taupo District Council Road Safety Coordinator Christine Hutchison said “The simple fact is adult seat belts often don’t fit children properly until they’re 148cm tall.  This is why it’s so important for pre-school and school-aged kids to stay in booster seats until they’re tall enough.”

Without a booster seat, an adult seat belt can often sit too high, across the neck and the stomach of a child. This means injuries sustained in a road crash are often serious, if not fatal.

Two children are injured or killed in car crashes a day in New Zealand.  With a booster seat, the risk of head, spine and abdominal injury for children is reduced by as high as 59 percent.  “We want to make sure children are tall enough before they travel anywhere without a booster seat,” said Ms Hutchison. 

Amongst those participating in the event include Safekids New Zealand’s Booster Rooster, Taupo Mayor Rick Cooper and Taupo District Councillors, Taupo Police, Taupo Fire Service, Taupo Ambulance Service, More FM Taupo, Britax, Carters, MotorSport Park, and an appearance from some NZV8 Drivers.

Contact:
Christine Hutchison
Road Safety Coordinator
Taupo District Council
Ph 07 376 0720