The majority of primary school children in Sligo do not wear seatbelts despite an intensive education campaign by local gardaí and doctors about the dangers of not being properly restrained, a new study has revealed.
One of the alarming aspects of the new survey was that only 73 per cent of the children observed leaving their schools in a car travelled in the back of the vehicle.
Of these, 59 per cent did not use a seatbelt - compared with 62 per cent in a similar survey last year.
Twenty-seven per cent of children occupied the front seat of the car, contrary to the advice of all road safety experts. Of these, 45 per cent did not use a seatbelt, compared with 46 per cent last year.
Consultant paediatrician Dr Hillary Greaney, who was part of the research team, said she was absolutely appalled by the findings and very disappointed at the lack of improvement since a similar study was done last year.
Researchers pointed out that over three-quarters of children killed on our roads were not properly restrained.
Last year a similar survey was carried out at eight schools in Sligo. Following the findings of the research, gardaí visited the schools to outline the dangers of not belting up.
But when researchers returned to the same schools and observed 299 children, they found that 55 per cent of parents were still flouting the law which requires them to ensure that children are properly restrained.
"It is vital that children be restrained because they are a lighter weight and could be catapulted forward and out through the front window," said Ms Greaney.
She said that because a child's skeleton was not developed they were more fragile and could be injured even by hitting a seat or door. "I do not understand why the message has not got through," she said. "I see parents strapping themselves in and they don't restrain their children."
She also warned against allowing children to sit in the front until they are at least 12 years old.
Ms Greaney said seat belts were not suitable for small children who should be restrained in an appropriate seat, booster seat or booster cushion, depending on their size. She warned that even when a car was travelling at low speed, an unrestrained child could suffer horrific injuries in a collision.
"Some parents have the attitude that it's just the school run or that they are just nipping to the shop but the child must always be restrained."
