By using car restraints effectively, reducing speed, and watching around schools, you can keep yourself and your family safe on the roads.
Car restraints
To create safer roads, the City aims to increase the number of parents and carers who use correctly-fitted child car restraints. A few statistics about transport related injuries:
- In WA, transport-related injury is a leading cause of death and serious injury in children aged 0 - 14 years (Injury Control Program, 1997)
- Approximately 200 people are killed and 15,000 seriously injured in road crashes each year in WA, with non-use of seat belts a major contributor
- Between 1990 and 1999, 33 per cent of drivers and passengers killed in road crashes in WA were not wearing seat belts. (Henstridge et al, 2000)
- In WA, between 1993 and 2003 an average of nine child passengers died each year; 186 were hospitalised and 200 presented with injuries from vehicle crashes.
Visit the RoadWise website for a comprehensive list of local Accredited Type 1 Fitters available to check or fit your child car restraints here.
How to use child car restraints correctly
When choosing a restraint, it is important to consider the weight and size of the child who will be using it.
Please read the requirements below:
- Anchorage points are specifically designed for securing a restraint’s top tether strap
- They should be directly behind and in the centre of the restraint
- Anchorage points are not located in the same position in all vehicles, so check your car manual to find out where they are
- If your car does not have any, you must get them fitted by an accredited type 2 fitter.
For a list of authorised child car fitting stations, please visit the Department of Transport
To adjust the top tether strap correctly:
- Push the device firmly against the seat squab
- Make sure that it is not so tight that the restraint lifts off the seat.
Most straps are not twisted, although some child car restraint manufacturers install a twist in the top tether strap.
Check your restraint manual for correct use of the strap.
- Harness straps should be adjusted so that only one finger can be inserted between the child’s body and the strap
- Shoulder harness straps should be as close as possible to the top of the child’s shoulders, with no more than a 25mm variation above or below shoulder level
- When the child’s shoulder level is above the top-most shoulder harness slot and/or the child’s eyes are level with the top of the restraint back, you must move the child to the next appropriately-sized restraint
- Do not use a child harness if the child’s shoulders are above the top of the seat back or headrest.
- The lap section of an adult seat belt should fit across the child’s hips and be firmly adjusted
- The sash section of the adult seat belt should fit across the child’s torso
If it cuts into the child’s neck, ear or face then a sash locator or other approved means of altering the seatbelt should be used to bring it to the correct position.
Research has shown that children are much safer in a vehicle when they sit in the back seat.
- The safest position is usually in the centre of the back seat
- If the seat cannot be used, the next best position is the rear passenger side
- In some cases, you can place a folded towel under the base of a rear facing restraint. This will adjust any excessive slope or contouring and offer a better angle of recline for the restraint and the child.
A vehicle’s front seat should not be used for a child car restraint. Capsule restraints require 50mm clearance from the front seats, and convertible restraints in a rear facing position can have as little as one finger-width clearance.
Speeding
In an effort to combat speeding in our community, the City has developed specific initiatives and campaigns which the public can get involved with.
The ‘Please slow down, consider our kids’ bin stickers are an initiative developed in 2005 for the City’s ‘Drop 5 and save lives’ campaign.
One day a week, the stickers act as a speeding deterrent by providing a visual cue telling motorists to reduce their speed. They provide an opportunity for householders to actively address motorists who speed in their street.
15,000 ‘Please slow down, consider our kids’ bin stickers have been distributed by volunteers, at residents' requests. In response continued requests, the City has received grant funding to purchase another 6000 bin stickers.
The City is calling for residents, community groups, schools and businesses to offer their support for the campaign. Volunteers can place the stickers on mobile garbage bins on the street’s usual rubbish collection day.
Anyone wishing to take part can collect stickers from the follow centres:
- City of Stirling Administration Centre
- Stirling Libraries - Dianella
- Stirling Libraries - Inglewood
- Stirling Libraries - Karrinyup
- Stirling Libraries - Mirrabooka
- Stirling Libraries - Osborne
- Stirling Libraries - Scarborough
- Stirling Leisure - Inglewood
- Stirling Leisure - Balga.
eRideables
eRideables are efficient, fun, and a great alternative way to get around the City of Stirling – but did you know they have their own set of laws, different to vehicles and pedestrians? For the safety of yourself and others, make sure you are always up to date with the current rules by vising the Road Safety Commission eRideables page.
School road safety
The City has initiatives to improve school road safety and how to become a school traffic warden.
Assistance for schools
It is common for schools to have traffic-management difficulties during pick-up and drop-off times. The rapid increase in vehicles and competition for parking spaces each morning and afternoon can be a problem for everyone involved. The City of Stirling aims to work with schools by developing and implementing a range of educational, environmental and engineering strategies.
There are many activities available to help manage road safety and traffic issues. Some examples include:
- Assistance with developing parking strategies
- The development and implementation of road safety and parking guides for better use of facilities
- Promotion of walking and cycling to reduce congestion
- Implementation of the parking warden program.
If you would like assistance with school road safety issues, please phone our Customer Contact Centre on (08) 9205 8555.
Primary school parking wardens
The City’s primary school parking warden program was implemented to help schools improve traffic flow and encourage safer parking. The program is free and available to all schools.
A parking warden is a parent, teacher or resident who volunteers to keep the traffic flowing during pick-up and drop-off times. Parking wardens are especially recommended when a ‘kiss and drive’ area is in place.
Schools wishing to take part in the program need to contact the City and submit a request. Rangers will assess the school’s suitability and determine if the program is suitable. All schools with a ‘kiss and drive’ area are encouraged to participate.
If suitable, school volunteers will be trained by the rangers to become parking wardens. Once training is complete, a roster is created and the parking wardens can begin their work. The City will liaise with the school regularly to monitor progress and offer help as required.
The WA Police want to establish a pool of traffic wardens to fill current and future vacancies across the metropolitan area. Eleven-month renewable contract opportunities are available.
Traffic wardens ensure safe pedestrian access (mainly for primary school-age children) across carriageways.
Full training and a uniform are provided and remuneration is $18.54 per hour, which includes 20 per cent casual loading, plus laundry allowance of $0.60 per week. A motor vehicle allowance is also payable under certain conditions.
Standard crossing times are every Monday to Friday during school terms, consisting of one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon.
Applicants must have:
- A current WA driver’s licence
- Access to a vehicle.
If successful, applicants must also complete a:
- Health assessment
- Criminal check
- Working with Children card application.
You may be eligible for reimbursement of up to $70 for your health assessment on completion of one month’s work as a traffic warden (receipt required).
To apply to be a traffic warden, please contact the State Warden Traffic Unit on (08) 6274 8731 or email on traffic.warden.state.management.unit@police.wa.gov.au.
