KEY POINTS:
Support is swelling for the compulsory use of "booster seats" in cars for children aged over 5.
Under current legislation, only children aged up to 5 are required to use approved car restraints.
Plunket, doctors and motoring experts are behind the calls.
In Australia, the biggest motoring group, the NSW-based National Roads and Motorists Association, is backing plans for children aged up to 7 to be required to use booster seats.
And the Canadian province of British Columbia has just passed a law requiring children to use booster seats until they are 145cm tall - between the age of about 9 and 12.
Booster seats sit the child higher so the seatbelt lies across the shoulder and upper legs, rather than the neck and stomach.
Plunket is pushing for it to be mandatory for children aged over 5 to travel in booster seats.
"It's incredibly dangerous for a child who doesn't fit the safety belt correctly to be using it," national child safety adviser Sue Campbell said.
"We will be going to the Transport Ministry and getting more support from other groups and talking to them again in regards to having a real push for [change]," she said.
"We want booster seats used here until at least 9 years of age. One thing we will have to discuss is the appropriateness of going by either the age or size of the child."
New Zealand's record of children dying in car accidents is abysmal.
From 1989 to 2006 inclusive, 176 children aged up to 4 were killed. Of those children, 75 weren't wearing restraints, and 55 would have been saved had they been restrained, according to Ministry of Transport figures.
In the same period, 101 children aged 5-9 were killed. Of those children, 32 weren't wearing restraints, and 16 would have been saved had they been restrained.
Dr Elizabeth Segedin, an intensive care specialist at Starship Children's Hospital, is one of several doctors who recommended in a study that children up to 12 should be required to sit in booster seats.
She said that in Britain the law now requires restraints for children up to 135cm tall or 12 years of age.
Transport Minister Harry Duynhoven said the ministry had discussed child restraint laws with various groups.
"We know that booster seats for older children would enhance safety. That's why we've had the recommendations for years that parents use them, but I'll wait and see what the advice is and maybe make some decisions as to how hard, how fast we should move on the issues." * Plunket has been awarded a top road safety prize for its Car Seat Rental Scheme. The organisation won the Road Safety General Category at this year's New Zealand Road Safety Innovation and Achievement Awards.
The rules
Child car restraint rules:
* The driver must make sure any child under five is properly restrained by an approved child restraint. If not, they must not travel in the car.
* Children aged five to seven must use a child restraint if one is available. Otherwise they must use a safety belt. If there are no child restraints or belts, they must travel in the back seat.
* Children aged 8 to 14 must use a belt. Otherwise, they must travel in the back seat.
* Note: A child under 15 years may sit beside the driver only if restrained by a child restraint or safety belt (whichever is appropriate for their age).
Source: www.ltsa.govt.nz
