Motor Vehicle Passenger Injury

The Higher You Sit, The Safer the Fit: Kids are safer in a child restraint or booster seat until they're 148cm tall.

Key Safety Messages:

- Always use the correct child restraint and booster seat for your child's height and age.
- Follow the manufacturers' instructions for your child restraint.
- Remember all child car seats being used in NZ must meet the accepted Safety Standards at all times.
- Make sure your child restraint or booster seat correctly fits your vehicle.
- Get help installing your child restraint or booster. Contact a NZTA-certified certified child restraint technician for support and to get help to correctly install a child restraint.
- The back seat is safest for kids.

For children 0-14 years, one of the leading causes of injury involves children as passengers in motor vehicles, with about 16 deaths a year and the equivalent of one classroom-full (26) of children admitted to hospital a month.

Studies show booster seats for pre-school and school-aged kids can reduce the risk of hospitalisation and death by up to 59%. Correct installation is also important. When used correctly, child car restraints reduce the risk of death for infants by up to 70%, for toddlers by up to 54% , and the need for hospitalisation for children 4 years and under by up to 69%.

Click here to read about Safekids' work to put NZ child restraint laws in line with international best practise.

Click the links below to access injury resources, information, prevention and other information.

Factsheets

Child Motor Vehicle Passenger Injuries (Pdf. April 2010)
Effectiveness of Belt Positioning Booster Seats (Pdf. April 2010)
New Zealand Transport Agency Factsheet 7: Child Restraints (Link, May 2010)

Resources

NEW! For 'Kids that Click!' child restraint installation videos at the Mysafekids.org.nz video website click here. (2012)

To find a local, trained, child restraint technician click here (New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) website)

Booster Seats Save Lives, 5 Step Test, For Parents (A5, PDF, October 2010)
Booster Seats Save Lives, 5 Step Test, For Children (A5, PDF, October 2010)
The Higher You Sit, The Safer The Fit Advertisements (Available in English, Maori, Samoan and Traditional Chinese language. Pdf, July 2010)
Strategies with Kids, Information for Parents (SKIP) Keeping Kids Safe (In the car, PDF. September 2009)
Booster Rooster 148cm. Height Chart (Available in English & Te Reo Maori)
The Higher You Sit, The Safer The Fit Radio Ad, 60 seconds (Youtube link)
The Higher You Sit, The Safer The Fit DLE Flyer (Pdf, June 2009)
Boosters in a Nutshell: Guide for Coalitions & Injury Prevention Professionals (Pdf, 2009)

If you are a Safekids Coalition member and would like to order resources, email campaign@safekids.org.nz.

Media Release

Safer Journeys with Kids this Labour Weekend: Putting kids in Car Seats is a Labour of Love (October 2010)
Community Car Seat Rental Schemes: Here to help (August 2010)
Community takes action to keep kids safe in cars (Coalition Media Release TEMPLATE, MSWord, April 2010)
Car Restraint Clinics Highlight Campaign’s Safety Focus (Coalition Media Release TEMPLATE, MSWord, April 2010)
Safer Journeys with Kids: Tips to Keep Kids in Booster Seats (March 2010)
Have a Safe Christmas & Summer, Perfect Gift Ideas Media Release (Nov 2009).
Safer Journeys: Have Your Say on Booster Seats (PDF, September 2009).

Position Papers, Research, Bibliography, Reports and Advocacy Information

NEW! Keeping kids safe at home, at play and on the road. Safekids CAMPAIGN REPORT 2010/2011 (See 'Reports' January 2012)
Safekids Annual Campaign Report: Child Passenger Safety & Cutting and Piercing Injury Prevention (September 2010).
Safer Journeys: The Ministry of Transport's Road Safety Strategy to 2020 (Link to website, May 21, 2010).
Safekids' full submission on Safer Journeys. Safekids New Zealand is also submitting comments on child restraints, school bus safety, child pedestrian and safer cycling Safekids New Zealand is also submitting comments on child restraints, school bus safety, child pedestrian and safer cycling
Bibliography: A selection on Motor Vehicle Child Passenger Safety (Pdf, March 2009)
Position Paper: It's Booster Seat Time for Kiwi Kids (A4, Pdf, Updated 2009).
Issue Paper: Child Carseat Restraints (A4, Pdf, August 2001)

Project Plans

How to run a child car restraint checking clinic: A guide for professionals and volunteers. (Pdf, 2011)
Child restraint checking clinic recording form. (Pdf, 2011)

Presentations

Restraint of the School-Aged Passenger: The Role of the Booster Seat. By Dr. E. R. Segedin, Safekids Leadership Conference, March 2008
Information & Planning Days Workshop 2010. By Julie Chambers, delivered at Safekids workshops introducing the 2010/2011 campaign themes.

Links

Child restraint information for parents (FAQs, car seat rental scheme lists, tips, links and more).

For links to New Zealand and international websites relating to this injury topic, go to our links page.

For more information, to order resources, or how to use the resources and information available in this page, go to the Coalitions Page or contact Campaign@safekids.org.nz. You can also contact your local Safekids Coalition Leader to find out how you can help promote child injury prevention in your community.

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This page was last updated 5 June 2013.