DG p12-13 Child Safety Jul09.qxp 24/06/2009 14:16 Page 12
child safety
Safety First
June saw Scotland mark National Child Safety
Week to remind everyone of the importance of
putting safety at the top of their priority list,
especially on the road.
It’s a horrendous thought, but it’s a fact nonetheless that
accidents are the second biggest childhood killer in the UK.
Believe it or not, six children and young people die every
week with a further 2,000 more admitted to hospital because
they have been injured in accidents. Many are left with the
consequences for life.
Did you know, for instance, that over the past three years,
22 children under the age of sixteen have been injured as a
result of fire within Dumfries and Galloway – with some 45%
of them under the age of five.
As part of the Fire and Rescue Service’s recent involvement
in National Child Safety Week (22-28 June), the Service
targeted fire safety and general home safety advice to parents
of pre-school age children by visiting a selection of day
nurseries across the region.
Similarly, a doubling in the number of child road deaths in
Scotland in the most recently published figures shows there
can be no let-up in efforts to improve road safety, and
particularly the safety of children travelling in cars, warns the
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
Provisional casualty figures published by the Scottish
“For the first time, Scotland has its own
Government reveal that the number of children killed on the road safety targets – to reduce the number
roads rose from nine in 2007 to 20 in 2008 (in 2006, the
of fatalities on the roads by 40% over the
figure was 25).
Worryingly, the biggest rise in child deaths was among
next decade and the number of serious
those travelling in cars – an increase from four in 2007 to 13
injuries by 55%.”
in 2008.
Better news is the fact that the total number of children this seat is fitted correctly, they have a better chance of
injured on the roads fell by 7%, from 1,817 in 2007 to 1,694 surviving an accident.”
in 2008. RoSPA has welcomed the recent launch of Scotland’s
Kathleen Braidwood, RoSPA’s road safety officer for Road Safety Framework to 2020, which focuses on the roads
Scotland, said: “While the overall fall in road casualties must being everyone’s responsibility and how we all have a role to
be welcomed, it is extremely disappointing to see an increase play in preventing road accidents.
in the number of children fatally injured. Stewart Stevenson, Scotland’s Transport Minister, officially
“Such a rise in child deaths brings home to all of us the unveiled the new ten-year Road Safety Framework to 2020 –
devastation that road accidents continue to cause to families called “Go Safe on Scotland’s Roads – It’s Everyone’s
across Scotland. Responsibility”.
“We must take these figures as a prompt to intensify our For the first time, Scotland has its own road safety targets –
efforts to save lives and reduce injuries. The increase in to reduce the number of fatalities on the roads by 40% over
children being killed in cars particularly demonstrates the the next decade and the number of serious injuries by 55%.
importance of ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the law Among the other proposals supported in the document are:
regarding child car seats and, crucially, how to fit them 20mph zones in built-up areas; a pilot of high-tech devices
correctly. which restrict the speed of a vehicle (Intelligent Speed
“It is particularly poignant to note that the figures have been Adaptation); and new education resources for schools and a
published on the same day as a campaign to raise new lifelong-learning approach to driver training.
awareness of child car seats gets underway across Scotland. For further information on any aspect of child safety, please
When children use the right car seat for their size, and when contact a Community Safety Officer on 01387 252222.
12 first link magazine | Dumfries and Galloway
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