(MENAFN- The Peninsula) QNA
Doha:With international studies indicating that more than 75 percent of child car seats are improperly installed or used, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is working to reduce the risk of children being injured or killed in motor vehicle accidents by raising awareness of how to properly fit and secure the restraints.
In 2012, Hamad International Training Center (HITC), an initiative of HMC, launched the Kulluna for Health and Safety Campaign. Staff from Kulluna work within the community and provide advice about selecting appropriate child car seats and correct installation. Since launching six years ago, the Kulluna team has helped install hundreds of child car seats. Kulluna has also introduced a child passenger safety technician's (CPST) certification which teaches participants how to correctly install and secure child car restraints. To date, over 120 people have completed the certification, which is led by a team of nationally certified safety technicians who provide participants with one-on-one instruction.
Dr Khalid Abdulnoor Saifeldeen, HITC Director and Kulluna Chairman, said: "Although some parents do use a child car seat, many dont know how to use them properly and need help. A child passenger safety technician helps with this through community presentations and/or child safety seat checks with hands-on assistance on their proper use."
The most common causes of improper child car seat use include ignoring the manufacturer's instructions for installation, not following the correct directions for the child's age, weight, mental, and physical development, installing the seat too loosely, not tightening the harness straps properly, and failing to use all of the harnesses available to properly secure a child into the correct position.
"In Qatar, road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for all ages, especially the young. Almost 200 people in Qatar, including children, are killed each year while around 800 suffer severe injuries that need hospital admission or surgery as a result of car crashes. Every year, HMC's Trauma Center, Ambulance Service, and Emergency Departments treat hundreds of children injured as a result of being unrestrained, or improperly restrained, in motor vehicles. While a significant number survive, we must bear in mind that not all victims will recover fully and many will be forced to live with permanent disabilities," highlights Dr. Saifeldeen.
The CPST certification is a four-day course and combines classroom instruction, indoor, and outdoor hands-on activities, skills assessments with car seats and vehicles, and a community safety seat check-up event. The course involves passing three sets of tests, which include written quizzes, hands-on skills assessments, and a checkup event. (QNA)
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