Car Seat Campaign – Let’s Be Quick to Save Lives
The African Brain Child research group (ABC) in Paediatric Neurosurgery at the University of Cape Town found that our hospital sees some 2 000 children (age 0 -12) with head injuries annually. Road accidents account for almost 80% of severe head injuries in children at the hospital. Of children admitted after a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained as a passenger in motor vehicle accidents, 96% were not wearing a seatbelt.According to Arrive Alive, car safety seats reduce the risk of death in passenger cars by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers.
The “Be Quick to Click” campaign, initiated by African Brain Child in partnership with Supa Quick and Wheel Well, is a call to safeguard the lives of children against TBI’s – “the silent killer” – by putting more children into secure car safety seats.
The Be Quick to Click car seat campaign facilitated the donation of car seats which were cleaned and inspected by our partners, Wheelwell, to ensure that each seat met the highest safety standards, before passing it on to a family in need. For this event 100 brand new car seats were sponsored by Supa Quick for hand-out during transport month on 26 October 2024, at Supa Quick Plumstead, where parents received training on how to use car seats effectively, while their children had their faces painted and enjoyed boerie rolls.
There is an African saying that ‘It takes a village to raise a child’. It also takes one to protect it. We need to rally personal responsibility around seatbelt usage - together as society.
The event was a great success, and 100 children were safeguarded against the devastating effects of road traffic accidents. Important messages that came out from car seat recipients were that a major barrier was a lack of education on the importance of car seats, especially for older children and many parents were unaware that it is in fact illegal in South Africa for an infant (a child under 3 years) to travel without being strapped into a suitable car seat. Car seat affordability is an important concern for many families.
To join the drive to save lives, visit bequicktoclick.com. Car seats can be donated at any Supa Quick nationwide throughout the year. Sponsorship of car seats can be done year round through WheelWell.
For more information on the impact and prevention of TBI’s in children, download the Be Quick to Click Research Report here.
If you want to get involved please contact abc@uct.ac.za
