SHE SAYS...

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31753, 9 August 1968, Page 9

SHE SAYS...

Motorists who are not used to having children as passengers in their cars get a shock, or perhaps, enlightenment, when they have them for the first time.

It is not just the ride in a strange vehicle, but the interior gadgets and controls that fascinate the young minds, especially if the children are boys. They want all the controls explained, and often will try a few experiments. With school holidays and a possible invasion of youngsters fast approaching, spare a few minutes to sit quietly in the car and consider what controls are likely to be tampered with behind an unsuspecting adult’s back.

Can rear door handles be locked, or are they too easily manipulated by a small hand? Is there some means of preventing injury to the child

should sudden braking hurl him forward? Is there a strap a child can hold for support? A very small child needs even more protection. Young parents must give very careful thought to transport. Ideally, a carry-cot or bassinet should be chosen with thought for whether it will fit through the car door and sit on the back seat. When the child is carried in the car, the cot or bassinet must be wedged so that it will not move if there is a sudden stop. Later the child needs a good car-seat with a harness. It is foolish to imagine that a child is safe if held firmly in its mother’s lap, unless the mother is wearing a seat-belt Never should the one belt be put round both mother and child.

When the children are old enough they should have their own seat belts in the back seat.