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20 Jun 08Free Checks for Child Car Seats
Parents will be able to get their child car seats checked for free at two road safety events at shopping centres in Poole and Bournemouth.
Road Safety Teams from Borough of Poole and Bournemouth Borough Council 
will be staging free child car seat check days as part of Child Safety Week. The teams will be at Sainsbury's in Alder Road , Talbot Heath, Poole, on Tuesday 24 June and at Castlepoint , Bournemouth on Wednesday 25 June.
The Britax Trainer and Road Safety Officers from Poole and Bournemouth will be available to give help and advice between 10am and 4pm. No booking is required and drivers will get the opportunity to have their child car seats checked in their own car, free of charge.
Research has shown an alarming number of child car seats are inappropriate or incorrectly fitted and many parents did not receive any fitting advice from the store where their seat was purchased.
Lesley Hart, Road Safety Education Officer for Poole said: "Make a change and make a difference. Far too many child car seats are inappropriate or incorrectly fitted. Don't let a child in your care become a road casualty statistic."
Cllr Mike White, Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Transportation, Borough of Poole, said: "Please make sure you always use the appropriate child restraint no matter how far your child is travelling."
Claire Elkins, Road Safety Project Officer, Bournemouth Borough Council said: "These check days have been successful and well received in the past. It's surprising how many child seats are fitted incorrectly and just taking a few moments to have the seat checked could save a child from injury or worse."
Councillor Robert Lawton , Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport for Bournemouth Borough Council, said: "Compromising a child's safety should not be an option. I hope these events will be a good opportunity for people to seek good, helpful advice from experts who will be able to show how equipment can be fitted correctly and safely."
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