Easter travel safety: Buckle up your child to prevent serious injuries
Nearly all children admitted to ICU after crashes weren’t buckled up, Western Cape health officials warn ahead of Easter travel.
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As thousands of Western Cape families prepare to travel this Easter, health authorities have issued a stark warning, nearly all children admitted to intensive care with severe head injuries from car crashes were not wearing seatbelts.
Provincial Health and Wellness Minister Mireille Wenger has urged parents and caregivers to make buckling up non-negotiable, saying a single decision could mean the difference between life and death.
“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,” Wenger said.
The warning is backed by data from the African Brain Child clinical research group at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, which shows that 96% of children admitted to ICU with severe traumatic brain injuries after vehicle crashes were not restrained.
The hospital, a specialised referral centre for paediatric trauma, admits about 2,000 children annually for suspected head injuries, with road accidents responsible for the most severe cases. Traumatic brain injuries remain one of the most serious and most preventable causes of death and disability among children, often leaving survivors with lifelong neurological and developmental challenges.
Associate Professor Ursula Rohlwink said the figures highlight a preventable crisis.
“We see the devastating impact of preventable injuries every day. The fact that 96 out of 100 children with severe head injuries in crashes were not restrained shows just how critical this behaviour is,” she said.
Proper use of seatbelts and child restraints has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of fatal and severe injuries, particularly for infants and young children.
Health officials warned that increased traffic volumes and long-distance travel over holiday periods raise the risk of serious accidents, placing additional pressure on emergency services and specialised hospital care.
“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,” the department said.
Authorities are urging all road users to make child safety a priority this Easter, with a simple message, buckle up every child, every trip, every time.