A hard lesson to learn
By Pamela Bosworth – Mommies Magazine (www.magazine.mommies.co.za)

Looking at recent tragic events, Eunice Franklin is an unfortunate example to the rest of us. Nobody knows what really happened and therefore we cannot judge, but one thing is evident - nobody was buckled in safely. If Eunice had predicted the accident, I am very sure she would have done everything to protect her children... but she had no idea!

None of us know when an accident is about to happen and it's easy to live in a dream world where we believe nothing bad can happen to us. It's funny however, that when bad things do happen we tend to ask "why me?". You should actually be thinking "why not me?" You are no different from anybody else, you stand just as high a chance of being involved in an accident as Eunice did. Especially living in South Africa, because we have the highest accident rate in the world and you stand 1 in 101 chances of being involved in an accident. We need to treat every single road trip as important because nobody knows what will happen even 10 seconds from now. It only takes 25km per hour to kill a small unrestrained child.

Most parents (I would hope), would not let their children play with knives, or matches, or operate a burning hot stove, climb up an unstable high bookshelf, go near a swimming pool unattended if they can't swim or any other dangerous circumstance that we, as parents would naturally take precaution of. Why then, would a parent allow their children to roam freely in a car, hang out the windows, sit on their laps or do as they please in a motor vehicle? Your child stands a greater chance of dying in a car accident if unrestrained than they do of killing themselves in a home environment where it is safer and most parents take more precaution. Yes, motor vehicle injuries are the fourth leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in children. Just like it's your duty to keep them away from knives and dangers in life, it is YOUR duty to keep them safe in a car. If they are injured or die in an accident, only you are to blame (regardless of who caused the accident) and it is a form of child negligence if you refuse to strap them in. They don't know any better, YOU should!

Don't wait till it's too late because you are playing with your childs life. Strap them in an age-appropriate car seat every time you travel with them. There is NO excuse!

Please stand together with us and sign our petition: http://safelaaities.co.za/car-seat-petition