MOTORING NEWS - Having a child passenger restrained while driving is absolutely essential to ensure proper safety.

Older children who have outgrown their child restraint seats but are still too small for adult-sized seat belts in vehicles, still need to be properly secured while travelling. However, recent research suggests this isn't happening.

Findings from the Automobile Association's (AA) Child Safety Seat Survey conducted last year also highlight that a quarter of motorists admit to not restraining children under 12 years at all while driving.

"Having a child passenger, whether in the front passenger seat or back seats, restrained while driving, is absolutely essential to ensure proper safety," notes the AA.

"Several studies have shown that children who aren't properly restrained and then involved in a crash have more chance of being seriously injured or, worse, killed, than those who are. This applies even at lower speeds."

The association says many parents or guardians do not restrain children when they are too big for baby car seats, but too small for adult-sized seat belts.

The AA says it is important to note that while current legislation is designed around the age of children who need to use child restraints, a better approach is to match the child's size and weight with the appropriate seat.

There are five important rules when driving with children: set an example by always using your own seat belt; choose the right car seat for your baby or young child; properly attach the child seat to the car; fasten your child in the child seat correctly and adjust the harnesses as the child grows. Then also adapt the harness for summer and winter clothing as needed.

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