Kill the Bad Habit Not the Child

ROAD SAFETY ARTICLE 

Did you know that road traffic crash injuries alone are the leading cause of death among children aged 5-29 years. Did you know these deaths and injuries are not inevitable? They are preventable. Ironically most parents are not concerned, going by their actions behind the wheels. Last week I dealt with some of these bad driving habits behind the wheel.

They include excessive and inappropriate speeding. Use of mobile phones while driving. Traffic light infractions as well as driving against traffic. There are those who are recalcitrant violators on the use of seat belts as well the clarion call on the use of child restraints for the protection of children within specific ages. Please see the first part for more details.

Did you know that ten percent of global road deaths occur in Africa although only   four percent of the world’s registered vehicles are in the continent? Did you also know that if road traffic crash reporting were to improve, the road traffic rash index in the continent would be different as it would most likely show more deaths as well as more injuries?

Did you also know that there are several global instruments geared at tackling child safety globally? They include   the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by almost all governments. The Convention outlines in 41 articles the human rights to be respected and protected for every child under the age of eighteen years.

It States that children have a right to a safe environment, and to protection from injury and violence. The Convention stresses the responsibilities of society to protect children (from birth up to the age 18 years). Member states have since domesticated these to address rising cases of deaths and injuries against children.

There is also the United Nations General Assembly document titled: A World Fit for Children. This document sets out a number of health goals for children. One of such goals which is specific to injuries calls on all Member States to reduce child injuries due to accidents or other causes through the development and implantation of appropriate measures.

Similarly, the WHO/UNICEF in a report, titled, World report on Child injury prevention, expressed concern that every day around the World, the lives of more than 2000 families are torn apart by the loss of a child to an unintentional injury or so-called “accidents” that could have been prevented….”It noted that children injuries have been neglected for many years.

Children’s maturity and their interest as well as their needs differ from adults, the report further stated. It cautioned that simply reproducing injury prevention strategies that are relevant for adults does not adequately protect children. The report affirmed that there are proven interventions such as child seats which is the trust of this piece.

Other proven interventions include cycling helmets, child-resistant packaging for medications, fencing around swimming pools, hot water top temperature regulations and window-guards. To name a few.

Yet what I see daily on the streets of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna among other cities marvels me. Despite our level of education and sophistication, parents have over the years refused to copy the developed clime in the area of child protection especially in moving vehicles. This is why I am focusing on raising our sensibilities on making the roads safer especially for children.

Like I said earlier, motor crashes remain the leading cause of unintentional injury related deaths among children ages 14 and under. However, the wearing of seatbelts could prevent many of these deaths and serious injuries. Thus, over the last 25 years, it is conservatively estimated that in highly motorized countries over 310,000 fatalities and more than 9 million moderate to critical injuries have been prevented through wearing of seatbelts.

Even in a safety conscious Country such as the United State of America, it is thought that in the year 2021, 26,325 passenger vehicle occupants were killed. About fifty percent of those killed failed to wear their seatbelts. Seatbelt saved about 14,944 lives and could have saved an additional2549 people if they had been wearing seat belts in 2017 alone

Seatbelts, of course, do not prevent an accident-taken place. They do however play a crucial role in reducing the severity of injury to vehicle occupants involved in an accident. Vehicle safety features are distinguished by two categories: “Primary safety and Secondary safety” Primary safety features aim to prevent an accident taking place e.g good breaks tyres, Secondary safety features aim to prevent or minimize injury to a vehicle occupant once the accident has occurred.

Seatbelts are a secondary safety device with a number of objectives which includes: preventing ejection from the vehicle in an impact, reducing the risk of contact with the interior of the vehicle or reducing the speed of such impacts, provided a distributed force to the wearer to give the necessary support in an accident restraining the vehicle occupant before guiding them back into their seats.

The effectiveness of the use of seatbelts is no longer in doubt as studies concluded throughout the World since the 1950’s have shown conclusively that seatbelt when worn and fitted correctly, saves lives. Users as safety belts sustain approximately 35 percent less ‘major-fatal’ grade injuries than non-users. Another study by Nordisk Trafiksikker Hedsrad (1984) calculated that ‘drivers and front seat passengers who do not use seat belts suffer almost the same percentage of head injuries as non-users in rear seats’ Therefore, use of seatbelt by rear seat passengers could not only reduce the likelihood and severity of injury to themselves, but also to drivers and/or front seat passengers.

In the case of Nigeria, the Federal Road Safety Corps, avowed commitment has raised compliance by a range of techniques including education, workshops, stakeholders, publicity and enforcement. However, despite these commitments, compliance to seat belt usage has dropped both at day and night-time driving. What can be deduced from the foregoing is that most motorists still take the issues of seatbelt with levity. The situation is worse with the use of child restraints despite the sophistication of the Federal Capital Territory.

As we experience increased vehicular and human traffic children will of course be travelling with their parents and their safety forms the main thrust of this piece. While much can be said about awareness and some level of compliance on the use of seatbelt in Nigeria, with the Federal Capital Territory ranking high, not much can be said about the use of  child restraints for children  safety as most parents  care less about how they carry their children in vehicles even while travelling long distance.

Section 58 (3&4) of the National Road Traffic Regulations 2004, specifies the use of seat belts by all occupants in a vehicle. This section therefore covers child seats or restraint. However, many of us as parents or guardians bother about the safety of our children? Do we know that the safest way to carry a child and to protect that child is to use a child seat that is suitable for their weight and size? Do we also know that even in a minor crash, an unrestrained child would be thrown from the car through one of the windows?

Do we also know that in a crash at just 30mph, an unrestrained child would be thrown forward with a force 30 to 60 times their body weight? They would be thrown inside the vehicle, injuring themselves and quite seriously injuring (or even killing) other people inside the vehicle. They are also likely to be ejected from the car through one of the windows.

Do we also know that it is not safe to hold a child on our lap? That in a crash, the child could be crushed between your body and part of the car’s interior? That even if you were using a seat belt, the child would be torn from your arms, and that you will be able to hold onto them, no matter how hard you try. Do you also know that it is also dangerous to put a seatbelt around yourself and a child or around two children? Or to carry that child or children in the front passenger seat or on your tummy as most of us do, especially during school runs or rush hours? That the safest way for children to travel in cars no matter the distance is in a child seat, that is suitable for their weight or size.