Galway motorists can have their children's car seats checked for free by the Road Safety Authority later this month.
The RSA's child car seat checking service, Check it Fits, returns to Galway for four days, May 30, 31, June 1 and 2 after a two-year absence due to the Covid 19 pandemic.
More than half of child car seats - some 56 per cent - checked by the Road Safety Authority were incorrectly fitted, needing some type of adjustment to make them a safe fit. If a child’s car seat is not fitted correctly, it could lead to a serious or fatal injury in the event of a collision.
RSA's Aisling Sloyan, senior road safety promotion officer, says the RSA’s experience with its Check it Fits service shows that half of child car seats are fitted incorrectly. However, worryingly it found that 30 per cent of these needed a major adjustment to fix them, and 67 per cent were minor adjustments, for example, the fitting being loose or a twisted seatbelt.
While car seats may seem simple to install, the installation is often easy to get wrong.
"We know parents are not intentionally putting children in danger and it is an education issue. To help address this problem, the RSA Check it Fits service will be visiting County Galway to help parents and ensure car seats and restraints are correctly fitted.
“Having a correctly fitted car seat is a simple measure parents, grandparents and guardians can take to ensure children are safe while travelling by car. I would encourage people to visit the Check it Fits service when it comes to County Galway and give yourself the peace of mind that your children are travelling safely.”
The free service takes between 10 and 15 minutes and runs from 10am to 5.30pm. It is a walk-in service, no appointment needed.
Aisling Sloyan says it is important to use the child car seat correctly on every car journey so parents should regularly check the fitting of the car seat or get it rechecked at a Check it Fits service.
"For example, if you got your child car seat fitted in winter, now coming into the summer months you may need to tighten the harness as your children are wearing lighter clothes," she says.
"If your child’s car seat or restraint is incorrectly fitted, the Check it Fits experts will advise on how to fix the problem, demonstrate how to fit the restraint correctly, and answer any queries participants might have to avoid potential serious or fatal injury in the event of a collision."
•Tuesday May 30: All 4 Baby, Tuam Road Retail Centre, Tuam Rd, Co. Galway, H91 NX64.
•Wednesday May 31: ALDI, Ballygaddy Rd, Corralea West, Tuam, Co. Galway, H54 NP40
•Thurdsay June 1: Tesco Superstore, Dunlo Town Centre, Harbour Rd, Dunlo, Ballinasloe, Co Galway, H53 A3C1
• Friday June 2: Loughrea Shopping Centre, Athenry Rd, Pollroebuck, Loughrea, Co. Galway, H62 P588
For more information on Check it Fits visit www.rsa.ie/checkitfits
