Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett has joined forces with Kidsafe Queensland and local mums in a drive to save lives this festive season.
It comes after 21 people were killed or hospitalised on the Central region’s roads as a result of not wearing a seatbelt or an appropriate restraint last year. *
Mr Bennett said it’s up each and every motorist to ensure these numbers don’t increase.
“The most horrific thing is, some of these deaths and hospitalisations were children,” he said.
“We can prevent this from happening and I’m calling on our community to take action to protect each other, especially our youngsters, today.
“Wearing a properly adjusted restraint reduces the risk of fatal or serious injury by half.
“As a father and grandfather, I know the importance of ensuring children are properly restrained in the car all too well.
“That’s why I’ve joined forces with Kidsafe Queensland to provide free child car seat safety checks for the Bundaberg and Burnett community.”
Kidsafe Queensland CEO Susan Terds said a properly fitted car seat can mean the difference between life and death.
“Unfortunately, 80% of car seats fitted by parents have mistakes, that’s why it’s vital to get them checked.”
The free child car seat safety checks will be held from 8am – 1pm on Thursday the 25th of November in the Hinkler Central carpark (along Electra St side of Coles carpark).
Mr Bennett is inviting all local parents or parents-to-be to come along for a free car seat check.
For more information please call the Burnett Electorate Office on 4111 5100.
* Department of Transport and Main Roads. Figures are based on restraint use of vehicle occupant casualties as a result of crashes within Queensland for all reported Road Traffic Crashes 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2020. https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/f3e0ca94-2d7b-44ee-abef-d6b06e9b0729/resource/177dc50c-0cf7-46ba-8a69-99695aeaa46a/download/c_restraint_helmet_use.csv
ENDS.