Car research website, Motors.co.uk, conducted a survey that revealed parents in the North East of England have a lack of information regarding car child safety with many having no idea what type of car seat is right for their child.
The survey revealed some shocking conclusions and a general lack of awareness about car seats and child car safety across all regions of the UK. North East England topped the list, where over half of the parents surveyed, all of which had children under the age of five years old, didn’t use the rear-facing car seats. 76% of parents were unaware of the correct car equipment to use for their child’s age.
The survey showed that it wasn’t just the parent’s misinformation; Phil Jones, who is the commercial director for Motors.co.uk, agrees that every parent should make informed choices when it comes to their child’s safety. However, it appears that the information just isn’t there for the taking.
Many of the parents assessed in the survey commented that there was a lack of knowledge amongst parents and from manufacturers, but also a lack of availability of these rear-facing car seats.
When approached the manufacturers commented that the lack of availability of rear-facing child car seats are purely due to the lack of demand. In places like the USA and Sweden, the use of rear-facing car seats for the under-5 age range is the norm. These rear-facing car seats have proven to reduce injuries by 92% during a car accident, compared to their forward-facing alternative that have a 60% injury reduction rate.