Nine out of ten children with severe head injuries were not restrained – a single “click” can save a life this Easter
As families prepare to travel this Easter, the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness is insisting that children’s safety come first.
Parents and caregivers must make one simple and very important choice that can save a child’s life: buckle up, every time.
Western Cape Minister of Health and Wellness, Mireille Wenger, said behind every number is a child whose life has changed forever and a family navigating the consequences. Every child deserves to be safe and protected.
“Before setting off on the road, every child needs to be strapped in. Children that are not buckled up are at serious risk of serious injury. Something as simple as a seatbelt can be the difference between an ordinary day and a life changed forever. I am asking every parent and caregiver: make it non-negotiable. Buckle up every child, every trip, every time.”
Recent data from the African Brain Child clinical research group in the Paediatric Neurosurgery Unit at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital showed that 96% of children admitted to their ICU with severe traumatic brain injuries sustained as a passenger in a motor vehicle accident were not restrained. Most of these injuries could have been preventable - with a single "click”.
At Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital alone, around 2 000 children are admitted for suspected head injuries each year, with road traffic accidents responsible for the most severe cases. The Hospital is a specialised referral centre for paediatric trauma, receiving the most severe and complex cases from across the province and beyond. This means the injuries seen there often reflect the most serious outcomes of road traffic incidents involving children.
Associate Professor Ursula Rohlwink from the University of Cape Town said the evidence is clear, “We see the devastating impact of preventable injuries every day. The fact that 96 out of 100 of children with severe head injuries in crashes were not restrained shows just how critical this behaviour is. Seatbelts and appropriate child restraints are one of the most effective ways to protect a child’s brain and their future.”
Keeping children safe on our roads is a shared responsibility across the entire health ecosystem. From prevention efforts in communities and schools, to the work of road safety partners, EMS teams and first responders, and specialised care at facilities like Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, every part of the system plays a role.
When children are not properly restrained, the consequences ripple across this system. It puts added pressure on emergency services and specialised hospital care, and most importantly, it puts children and their families at risk.
The Department is calling on all road users this Easter period, as increased traffic volumes and long-distance travel raise the risk of serious accidents, to remember to ‘click’ their seatbelts.
Prevention remains one of the most powerful tools we have to protect children. It takes less than a second but it can protect a lifetime.
Buckle up every child. Every trip. Every time.
Media Enquiries
Robyn Thomson
Spokesperson for the Provincial Minister of Health and Wellness
Email: robyn.thomson@westerncape.gov.za