Over three days last week, Police teamed up with partner agencies to push an important road safety message to save children's lives.
The campaign ran from Monday to Wednesday in Waiohiki, Flaxmere and Maraenui. It focused on education, not punishment, to encourage communities to drive safe and protect tamariki - who are the most vulnerable in a crash.
Joining Police to spread the message were Fire and Emergency NZ, Takitimu Māori Wardens, Baby on the Move, Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga, and Te Roopu-A-Iwi Trust.
Together, they fronted safety checkpoints and looked over every child restraint to make sure it was safe. If there was an issue with child restraints, the vehicles were directed into the 'car safety clinic'.
At the clinic, an assessment could be conducted, and families could get guidance on child restraints. This also gave Police an opportunity to kōrero with whānau about driving safe over the coming Christmas Holidays and reducing the rate of injury and death among children on our roads.
The safety checks provide a valuable opportunity to help families who don't have suitable child restraints. Those families were referred to Baby on the Move, an organisation that rents, sells and fits car seats.
For mum Erin Conner, the advice explained the problems she experienced with her car seat, which she purchased before the birth of her child.
"Today, I found out at this clinic my son's seat is an Australian brand for Australian vehicles and conditions. They don't tell you that when you're buying them. You trust shops who sell car seats care about our children - child car seats are expensive and now I am struck with a seat that I struggle to use properly.
"Thanks to the help today, I learnt a lot and now know I need to get a new seat for my baby and my 6-year-old to keep them safe."
The operation had a strong iwi focus. In national traffic statistics, Māori children have mortality rates three times higher than children of other ethnicities and represent 52 per cent of all traffic-related deaths between 2007 and 2016.
By the numbers:
• Cars through checkpoint: 850
• Vehicles directed into the clinic: 76
• Child restraints checked: 96
• Full re-installs: 55
