Johannesburg -
If parents don’t strap their children in correctly or school transport drivers continue to cram pupils into bakkies or cars with no seat belts, South Africa will see dozens more deaths and serious injuries.
It is not even two months into the year, but 10 pupils have died and more than 30 have been injured in accidents across the country.
In Britain, the number of young children killed or seriously injured is said to have risen for the first time in two decades because of complacency with regard to using seat belts.
Back home it is estimated three children a day die in car crashes and that 75 percent of the time car seats are used incorrectly.
ER24 spokesman Russel Meiring said paramedics often responded to calls where young children had been injured in collisions.
Most accidents involving pupil transport, in which children died or were injured, occurred because of overloading or because vehicles were unroadworthy, he said.
“These operators are just out to make quick money.
“They drive taxis without children being strapped in. They also exceed the speed limits.”
Meiring said the speed at which the vehicle was travelling determined the extent of injuries inflicted.
“There are instances where children are packed into a bakkie, with a canopy being the only form of protection.
“If the bakkie rolls, these children will suffer multiple injuries or even worse.
“In other cases, the driver is the only person wearing a seat belt, while the kids are not.
“I’m not saying restraining children would stop collisions, but it would limit fatalities.”
The National Road Traffic Act requires drivers to ensure children use appropriate restraints or seat belts.
Some mothers say that awareness around the value of using seat belts needs to be intensified.
Lulama Mahosi, a taxi commuter, said she was shocked by what she saw on the highway.
“I’ve seen a child standing on a seat or looking over the dashboard while their parents are wearing seat belts.
“Imagine what would happen if the car came to a sudden halt? I already fear for my life sitting in a taxi. What about that child?”
Mahosi said she had not bothered before to check if her son was safe when he travelled to school.
She now made a point of checking with the transport driver.
The only challenge was that there were not enough seat belts, she said.
Greater Joburg Education Transport Services chairman and pupil transport operator Jabulani Cele echoed Mahosi, saying it was a challenge for drivers to strap children in.
“When it comes to the mode of transport for these kids, we’ve been hoping that the government will assist us as we can’t afford state-of-the-art vehicles that have all these accessories.
“If you look at America, you see a yellow bus for children.
“Whenever the bus stops, every motorist is alerted.
“We agree, transporting children in Avanzas, Condors and micro buses is not correct, but we need financial help.”
Cele, who has transported primary schoolchildren for 16 years and has not been involved in an accident, said it was important to remain alert.
“Parents also play a role in the manner that their children are driven to school,” he said.
“You find that a mother wakes up late. Because her child is late, this results in other children being late.
“The operator is now under pressure to ensure these children arrive at school on time.
“But my view is that when this happens, operators should be wise enough not to speed, and to park their cars outside the school gates, accompany the children and explain the situation.
“It’s better late then never.”
Howard Dembovsky, chairman of the Justice Project South Africa, said laws needed to be examined carefully, especially where children were involved.
“Children, especially those under 3, are the most vulnerable because when you load a vehicle, provided you don’t exceed the gross weight, you can pile in as many children as possible.
“This is what we face and it needs to be revisited,” he said.
The Gauteng Department of Basic Education and the Department of Roads and Transport failed to respond to questions.
The Numbers
One in 4: The number of parents who don’t buckle up their kids on every single trip, according to a recent survey.
700 000: The number of crashes in South Africa per year.
71 percent and 54 percent: The number of deaths of infants and toddlers, respectively which could be prevented if the children were strapped into car seats correctly.
45 percent: The use of a booster seat reduces the risk of serious injury by 45 percent in children aged 4-8 years.
145cm: The height your child must be before you stop using the booster seat.
Three: The number of children who die on our roads each day.
Three-quarters: The number of car seats which are used incorrectly. - Research by 1st for Women Insurance
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