According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Israelis are sorely lagging in measures taken to ensure the safety of their children in motor vehicles.

Close to 50% of children traveling in vehicles are in danger as a result of inappropriate or inadequate safety measures or no safety measures at all. The latest data was obtained in a study conducted by “B’terem” for the National Road Safety Agency.

According to the CBS, traffic accidents is the second leading cause of hospitalization of children in Israel and the first cause of death among children. In 2007, 2,735 children were injured in motor vehicle accidents, referring to children up to the age of 14, representing 20% of all the victims of traffic accidents. The CBS also reports Israelis lag seriously in the use of protective adjuncts for children traveling in vehicles.

Some examples include; 29% of infants under a year old travel in a car seat, but in the front of the vehicle instead of the rear, which is proven safer. Even worse, 1/5 of drivers are placing the infants in car seats next to the driver in a seat with an active air bag, a proven killer for infants if the air bag is activated.

For reasons that are a mystery, since 2003, there is an increase in the number of parents transporting children 2-years and older in the front seat — perhaps they are too worried trying to observe the child in the rear as they drive.

The main high-risk group revealed in the study is children 5-9-years-old, explaining they are not properly restrained during transit. Many are seated in the vehicle’s seat with seat belts, but without a booster seat, proven to provide proper safety restraint. A staggering 43% are traveling without any restraint system or an improper use of restraints.

The study was conducted in 2007, targeting 1,046 passenger vehicles around the country which were transporting 1,850 children up to the age of 15. The Geocartographia Institute conducted the study with researchers Drs. Victoria Gittleman Michal Chamultam and Favian Sichron of “B’terem” supervising to ensure the accuracy of the study.

And how did the parents and children respond?

a) 52% of the children – “I am already big”.

b) 47% of the parents – “The child is already big/old enough”.

c) 16.5% – “It is uncomfortable”.

d) 11% – “I do not know what you are referring to”.

e) 16% – “I was unaware this is required”.

f) 15% – “The car seat is in another vehicle at present”.

The experts advise:

Up to 1-year (9kg), in an appropriate child seat facing rear, in the rear seat of the vehicle only.
*Up to 4-years (18kg), a car seat is required by law.
*4-8-years-old (child’s height 1.45 meters) a booster seat is required by law.
*From age 12: in the front seat equipped with an air bag.
*A seat belt should rest on the pelvis and the shoulder belt should be resting on the clavicle (shoulder), not the neck area.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)