Child car seats must always be replaced after a car accident, Direct Line said today.
Car insurance provider Direct Line sent out a stark warning to drivers over children's road safety today.
In comments released in conjunction with charity Brake, the car insurance firm said that all child car seats and seatbelts must be replaced in the aftermath of any car accident. This follows research from the firm, which showed that 20 per cent of parents believed that there was no need to perform this action - despite the fact that the seats might have been damaged, and therefore made unsafe, by the incident.
Direct Line also found that, despite the government's own advice, 25 per cent of parents who have children between the ages of three and 12 do not use a car seat at all.
Commenting on the findings, education manager at Brake Katie Shephard said: "There is nothing as devastating as the violent, sudden death or serious injury of a child. Yet research suggests that a large proportion of families still don't prioritise their child's safety in their vehicles."
Maggie Game at the car insurance firm added: "What might seem like a minor accident can undermine your child's safety if you are involved in a subsequent collision. Even minor accidents can weaken restraints which are critical to protecting your child in an emergency."
Direct Line made the remarks in the run-up to Child Safety Week, which runs from June 23rd-29th.
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